Sea Salt Tales
by OrtumnAllbones
Summary: Adventures of the Sea Salt Trio and their friends as they navigate life and all its memorized moments. Chapter VIII: Axel never considered himself a disciplinarian, Roxas and Xion must face their punishments at his hands or face the wrath of Xemnas.
1. Penguins and Potatoes

Xion stared uncertainly at the ice cream Saix held before her. "Take it. Go on." He prompted.

"I'm good, thank you." She took a step back.

"I bought it for you." He persisted, a frown of inquest pulled at the edges of his scared forehead.

She stared at her shoes, boots with cartoonish teeth lining the ankles in an open mouth of layered leathery plastic. "…Give it to Roxas."

"Roxas already has his; I gave one to Axel and am holding mine in my other hand, as I said not two minutes ago."

Axel's expression was uncharacteristically steely as he observed them, the way Xion hunched her shoulders forwards, playing with her fingers and examining the floor while Saix stood tall, naturally intimidating, persistent but most of all, confused.

He had been watching them for five minutes now, his ice cream finished, Xion's dripping steadily onto the stones of the clock tower.

"It's not like you to turn down ice cream," Axel commented, "you feeling alright?"

"Maybe I'm not well…? Yes! That's it! I'm not well!"

Saix frowned and lowered his arm, the ice cream, ready to slip off the stick, was caught by Roxas' eager tongue and hand, delving into what Xion wouldn't. "You look perfectly fine, Xion." Axel didn't miss her cowering wince when Saix pressed a hand to her forehead. "You don't have a temperature."

She stepped aside, remaining hunched, head lowered. "I'm going home."

"Xion?" Axel called.

"Xion!" Roxas got to his feet. "Xion wait!" He chased after her as she disappeared around the corner, headed for the steps. "If you wait a minute we can all go back together!"

Saix was silent, the sound of Xion's footsteps disappearing. Hed sat beside Axel, staring the long way down as Xion and Roxas emerged from the clock tower, walking home. Xion obviously quiet, Roxas chatting; exaggerating with his arms. She shook his hand off her shoulder as she walked, beginning to regain her posture.

"Xion doesn't like me."

"Well there's a shock!" Axel exclaimed. "I'm surprised she didn't jump off the tower!"

"You really think she's _that_ desperate to get away from me?" He crossed his legs.

"Hey, don't shoot the observer!" He chewed his bare ice cream stick. "C'mon man, how did you expect her to act? You gave her a really tough time in the Organization."

"Things are different now."

"Yeah well, she's got the old you memorized." He flicked the stick over the edge of the tower and leant back on his hands, ignoring Saix's glare for his littering. "I guess that must be scarier somehow… Isa's a stranger to her, she can only judge you by Saix's actions… you must seem really unpredictable right about now."

"What should I do then?" He snapped, scowling at Axel as the sun faded from deepest rust to purple twilit haze. "Go back to my heartless ways or _force_ her to put those days behind her?"

"To be honest man, I really don't know…"

The four of them had decided to live together; it had been a big decision but a simple one, the cheapest and most convenient.

They had chosen the cheapest accommodation, a three bedroomed, ready-furnished flat. It was snug. Xion and Saix had their own bedrooms, all that could be heard at night was Axel and Roxas' snoring… and the occasional threat to place a pillow over the others head depending on who woke first…

So Saix was surprised when running water roused him from quiet sleep.

He followed the sound to the kitchen, bare feet padding on the rug they'd set in the open plan living room, separating it from the kitchen.

Xion had her back to him, muttering under her breath, her hands scrubbing beneath the tap. Her long dressing gown, untied, shook at the skirt as she aggressively scoured.

"What are you doing?" He exasperated, drawing his brows together, staring with bleary eyes.

Xion jumped a little but didn't turn. "I'm so sorry! It's late so the laundrette's closed, I'll be done soon, I promise! Oh… what am I going to do? What am I going to do?"

He huffed and walked closer, hearing the fear in her voice he noticed her trembling knees. "Are you going to tell me what this is about?"

"I can't!" She held her face in her hands, leaning on the counter. "I can't believe this is happening! Human for a week and my time's already over! There must be something wrong with this vessel; there are so many things I never got to do! Roxas…! What am I gonna tell Roxas? He'll be so sad!"

Saix noticed the red stain on the cotton pyjama pants in the sink. He groaned and crossed his arms, leaning back against the kitchen counter. "Why did I have to be the one to wake up?" He whispered as Xion ranted, in the throes of panic. "Xion! You are not dying and, for once, you are not defective."

"B-but!" She dared to look up at him with big watery eyes. He noticed the red stain growing at her crotch and looked away; sure his blush glowed in the darkness of the kitchen. "What do you mean? I'm… I'm…"

"Growing up," he choked.

"I know dying is part of growing up but I'm so young!"

"Xion, you have in fact reached maturity. This is…" he dared to look at her; he had never felt so abashed, "your beginning as a woman…"

"A WOMAN?" She shrieked. "I'm too young to be a woman! I've barely lived! I've only existed for a week and now _this? _How could this happen to me? Why?"

"What's going on?" Axel yawned, obviously worried.

"Lea! Excellent! You can handle this!"

Axel's eyes widened when he saw the red staining Xion's pyjamas and turned on his feet. "Nope! No way! Goodnight!"

"Lea!" The door slammed and clicked. Xion hiccupped behind him. "Xion, calm down! You survived the dark apocalypse! You can handle a little blood!"

"A _little_? This is not a little! It's still coming out of me! Oh no… oh no…! I don't know how this vessel works! What if it runs out of blood? What then? What if I'm breaking? Just like before?"

"Xion, this body is superior, functioning perfectly as an ordinary human, that's why this is happening to you." He crossed his arms again.

She gripped her bedhead of black locks. "I have to call Vexen! He can make it stop! But it's all so embarrassing!"

"Calm down, we need to talk. Lea!"

"I'm asleep!" The upset growl barked through the door.

"You need to go to the store for Xion, she and I need to talk."

"I wouldn't know what to get!"

There was the muffled sound of a pillow hitting the door. "Axel shut up!" Roxas barked.

"Unless you want _me_ to go and _you_ can talk to her." Saix bargained.

"I'm going! I'm going!" Axel hurried out, not stopping even as he stepped into his shoes and pulled his jacket from the hook to cover his dark pyjamas as he fled the apartment.

"Why is this happening to me?" Xion sobbed into her hands. "This is a bad dream for sure!"

"It certainly is…" He muttered. "Xion, have you ever heard of PMS?"

"Yes." She squeaked. "Xaldin told me."

He raised an inquisitive blue brow. "Xaldin?" He was shocked. "Then why are you crying?"

"Because I'm bleeding and my stomach hurts!" She dropped a hand to her gut and gasped. "I must have a tumour! Why would you tell me this is part of being a woman? I don't even have boobs yet!" She gripped her chest, only making Saix' blush deepen.

"You obviously don't know what PMS is."

"I do! Xaldin told me! I saw it in a magazine once but the page was torn!"

"And what did he tell you it meant?" He chided, scowling the whole time.

"Potato Mashing Season!"

His mouth fell open and he couldn't speak for several moments. "_Potato… Mashing… Season_…" He slowly repeated.

"But Demyx said it's actually a sign in Christmas Town for the _Penguin Marching Space_… where he saw penguins marching and sliding once…"

"It has nothing to do with potatoes or penguins," a sentence he never imagined he'd say, "they lied to you."

She wiped her eyes, devastated. "Why would they do that?"

"Read the thesaurus's synonyms for 'embarrassed.'" He confused her; she tilted her head, swollen lips quivering. "I'm really the wrong person, gender… to explain this…"

"Please! Do your best Saix, please!"

He closed his eyes, grimacing. "If I remember correctly, PMS is an abbreviation of Premenstrual Syndrome, some girls call it a period, ever heard of it?" She shook her head. "Of course not… The important thing is that it happens to every developing woman, is perfectly normal and will stop in a few decades."

"DECADES? This will go on for _decades_?"

"…It's called a period because it comes every month… you'll have to ask Olette how long it lasts."

"But WHY? WHY is this happening to me now?"

He forced himself to reply. "It's your body preparing for… pregnancy."

Her eyes widened and pupils shrank. "No! I don't want a baby! I'm not ready for that!"

"This is not an immaculate conception!"

"Oh no! Oh no! A baby?" She pulled at her hair, beginning to pace. "But I'm supposed to start school! Where will I get the money to buy baby clothes?" She gasped dramatically. "How will I get up the clock tower steps? And my clothes won't fit!"

"XION!" He stopped her rant. "You are not having a baby this just means it is now a possibility!"

"So I could just suddenly get pregnant one day? How will I prepare?"

Horror spread across his face when he realised she had never had _the talk_, which probably meant Roxas hadn't either. "That's not how it happens… But _Axel_ is going to explain it to you later," he almost smiled, "he said he's looking forward to telling you all about infants and where they come from. But this… this just means your insides are growing up too, you just can't see that."

"Oh…" She calmed. "It's just my insides growing up? Like when Roxas gets taller?"

He nodded. "Exactly. You should talk to Olette about it tomorrow, I'm sure she'll explain it better."

"…You're really good at explaining things, Saix. Not great like Axel, but good!"

It was the first compliment she'd given him. "You really think Axel is better than me?"

"You'll' catch up." She wiped her eyes.

The door opened and Axel hurried in, clutching a carrier bag as if it were full of robbed banknotes. "The girl in the shop gave me this," he outstretched it, desperate to be rid of it, "she put a leaflet in there about… everything."

"Thank you Axel," Xion took the bag and looked inside, pulling out a large purple packet, "what are these?"

"It's all written in the leaflet… thing! Just… go into the bathroom and look at it!"

She nodded. "Ok." She turned to Saix, not as intimidating in his dark blue pyjamas. "Thank you for being so nice, Saix."

The corners of Axel's mouth picked up. "You two getting along now?"

"He was really nice Axel, almost as nice as you." She passed him. "Oh! Now you're awake you can tell me all about where babies come from," Axel turned white, "Saix said you can't wait to tell me, and, I think, while my insides are growing up is the best time!" She hurried into the bathroom, leaving Axel white and trembling.

"What did you tell her Isa?" He barked.

"More than your mother ever told you, goodnight, have fun. You should probably give Roxas the talk too." He passed him, a wicked smile on his lips.

"Get back here! Isa!" He balled his fists.

Saix closed his door as Roxas opened his, stood wide awake and grumpy. "Talk to me about what? What's going on?" He growled, unhappy to be awake.

Saix pulled the covers over himself; he could hear the panicked slap of Axel's hand against his forehead.


	2. Pride and Prejudice

Xion and Roxas gaped at the metropolis; built for animals of every size and nature, from the bulbous hippos travelling the river running through the train station to the tiny tubes a line of chubby hamsters scurried through.

"Roxas, you're so fluffy!" Xion giggled.

"Fluffy?" He looked down at himself. "Oh!" He touched his head, heavier than usual. "What exactly… am I supposed to be?" He looked at his hooves.

"You're a Gazelle Roxas, get it memorized! It'll be really weird if you don't know what species you are." Axel stood several paces behind them.

Xion's eyes lit up when she saw him. "Axel, you're a Fox!"

He grinned. "What do you think?" He outstretched his furry red arms. "Does it suit me?"

She giggled, holding a 'paw' to her mouth. "It really suits you!"

Roxas seemed obsessed with the prepubescent black horns on his head. "You're so tiny Xion!"

She looked down at herself, flaps of black skin hung down her sides to her ankles. "Am I fat or do I have wings?"

"You're a Fruit Bat." Axel confirmed. "I think you got the best form change here Xion."

She squealed. "I want to fly!"

"You'll have plenty of time, but we have to find that Heartless first, you know. Before it does any major damage!" His bushy tail wavered behind him as Roxas bounded along and Xion spread her wings, hopping until she left the ground and flapped into the air. "Man, this place is huge!" He complained. "Where do we even begin looking?"

Xion flew beside him; the draft from her wings ruffled his whiskers. "What did Saix say?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"Not really. Me and Roxas were guessing what this world would be like."

"We never thought it would be like this!" Roxas skipped. "Oops! Sorry!" He pranced around the tiny mice, squeaking up at him as they walked the zebra crossing into their own walled city.

"Watch out Roxas!" Axel pulled him across. "Saix didn't know much, just that Zexion sensed a strong darkness here; he wants us to check it out – oof! Hey!" An Elephant carelessly knocked into him, his stomping feet scarcely missed him.

The Elephant blew his trunk. "Watch it Fox!"

Xion flew higher, staring the Elephant in the eye. "But _you_ walked into him!"

"Xion, get down here!" Axel called.

"It's not okay Axel!"

"Yeah!" Roxas agreed. "You're supposed to say sorry after an accident." He growled up at the Elephant. Tall and grey with huge tusks, he was larger than most.

"Apologise, to a sly Fox?" The Elephant chided. "He'd rip your wings and horns before you even noticed they were gone!"

Xion's mouth fell open; her brows fell over her eyes, larger than usual. "That's not true!"

"Yeah," Roxas bounced around him, "Axel's our friend!"

"A Fox's friend is just an idiot so dumb h3 doesn't know he's an idiot yet! Get out my way!"

Axel snapped his claws at the ground. "I said come here guys!" He was beginning to remember what anger felt like. "Will you two just leave the Elephant alone and do as you're told?"

Livid, Xion hastily flapped her wings. "I don't like the way you're talking about my friend!"

"I have the right to say whatever I want!" He swung his trunk, nearly knocking her out the sky.

"Hey!" Roxas summoned his Keyblade and swiped with a huge leap! Scratching the Elephants tusk.

"You're causing a scene!" Axel jumped, plucking Xion from the air and grabbed hold of Roxas' left horn as he landed. "So much for being discreet…" He noticed the crowd of animals gathered around.

"It's a fox! I should have known!" His new ears twitched as he heard the onlookers muttering.

"There really should be a ban in the city."

"He has that poor little bat! Do you think she's alright?

"What's a bat doing out at this time of day?"

"Do you suppose that predator kidnapped her? The poor thing must be so tired!"

"That's what you get when you let predators into the city!"

"It's so rude to hold someone else's horns!"

Axel scowled. "We are leaving _now_." He told Xion and Roxas, trying to pull them out of the crowd. The stomping feet of the Elephant blocked his way. "Would you let me pass?" He snapped.

"Don't let him get away!" One of the terrified brown Sheep cried.

The Porcupines spikes were on edge. "Let go of them you dumb Fox!"

"Axel?" Roxas worried.

"_Dumb fox?"_ Axel muttered to himself. He heard sirens approaching; a Giraffe was waving the police car their way. "Outta my way!" He tried to scurry through the crowd, releasing Xion's wings and Roxas' horn. Roxas leapt over the crowd while Xion flew free.

Axel gasped! Pulled onto his back when the Elephant stomped on his tail! "Get back here!" He clawed his paws, ready to summon his chakram's.

The crowd was suddenly lit blue and red, parting as flashing sirens whooped. "What's going on here?" The smallest grey Rabbit, all dressed in blue, hurried through the crowd, followed by a Fox not quite as red as Axel.

The Fox, dressed in a dark uniform with added sunshades, sighed and leant against the Elephant's leg, ignoring Axel, pinned to the floor. "Hey there Jumbo! You seem happier than usual."

"You're the last thing I need right now! Go back to playing cops with the Rabbit, Fox! Leave the bigger Mammals to deal with this!"

"I'm still down here!" Axel called up at them, almost whimpering as the pressure on his tail became intense.

His fellow Fox looked down at him. "Thanks for pointing that out buddy, I never would have noticed."

The Rabbit cleared her throat. "Mr Jumbo, are you aware that you are standing on the Foxes tail and therefore causing a scene? _What's your name Sir?_" She whispered down at Axel.

"Axel!" He frowned, tapping his claws on the floor.

Jumbo put more weight on his foot. "_He's_ the one causing a scene!"

"Ha! Sure he was!" The Fox laughed.

"The Elephant's right! He started it!" Axel was really beginning to hate that sheep. "I saw him! He dragged a little Bat out in the middle of the day and assaulted a Gazelle!"

"Liar!"

The Rabbit walked around them. "That's enough! We'll sort this out at the Station! Get off his tail!"

"Make me!" Jumbo swung his trunk.

She jumped up his trunk to land on his shoulder.

"He does not need any more weight on his foot!" Axel growled.

Jumbo stumbled off his feet when Rabbit pulled his large ear and let go, letting it slap against his face. "You are both under arrest for disturbing the peace!" She jumped down, managing to link the large cuffs around Jumbo's thick wrists.

The Fox pulled Axel off his back and cuffed his paws. "You have the right to remain silent, let's hope you have the capacity. Can you handle Jumbo alright there Carrots?"

"Don't call me carrots!" She sang, guiding Jumbo into the car the size of a monster truck.

"I didn't do anything!" Axel snarled, his new fangs practically dripping.

The Fox nodded. "I know Jumbo well enough to know that, but I can't show my fellow predator's special treatment, you get that right?" He closed the door and climbed into the front passenger seat, dark glasses pulled over his eyes, eyes as green as Axel's.

"Wait!" He rolled the window down when Roxas bounded over, Xion flapping her wings alongside him.

"Are you arresting him?" Xion landed at the window.

"And what is a cute little bat like you doing out in the sunshine?"

"She has insomnia!" Axel interjected before Xion could make matters worse.

"Y – yeah… I don't sleep very well."

"You can't arrest Axel!" Roxas stomped his hoof. "Where are you taking him?"

"We're taking him to the station," the Rabbit told them, clutching the wheel, "you should go home, you'll know more tomorrow."

"Can't we come with you?" Roxas begged.

"You can meet us there, but it'll be a long wait. Just walk down Pawstreet and turn left." She drove off, leaving Xion and Roxas to follow.

"This place is huge!" Xion flew into the Police Station.

"Is Axel really here?"

Xion spotted the desk clerk. "Let's ask." She flapped towards the desk. "Excuse me; we think our friend's here?"

The round Leopard grinned, holding his paws to his mouth, a bright pink doughnut in one of them. "Well aren't you the cutest little thing I've seen all day! Isn't it past your bedtime little Miss…?"

"Xion! And I don't think I like being called cute, and I'm not tired!" She settled on the desk, paws on her hips.

He gasped exaggeratedly. "I'm so sorry! It's just natural for me, I see something small and the first thing I think is how _adorable_ it is!" He squealed. "I'm Benjamin Clawhauser, at your animal's service! Was there something you need help with?"

"We're here for Axel," Roxas approached, "he was taken here with a bully Elephant."

"Let me see," Benjamin searched through his computer, chair squeaking under his weight, "here he is! Seems he's waiting for an interview room to become available."

Roxas' frown deepened. "Why isn't there one available now?"

"Mr Jumbo's in one… two Sloth's are in the others." He began slurping his soda through the straw.

"Isn't there anything we can do to help?" Xion questioned. "Axel did nothing wrong!"

"Sorry, I can't really say –" he was silenced when he saw Xion's huge blue eyes staring sadly up at him, her small dark mouth pouting as she hunched her shoulders, "aw jee~eez," he squealed, starry-eyed with adoration, "the face and the eyes…!"

"Tell us!" Roxas barked.

"Oh, right! …Does he have a lawyer?"

Roxas tilted his head. "A what?"

"A lawyer! Oh you know! Someone who sorts out right from wrong, fixes bad situations, gives him good advice…"

Roxas bounced from hoof-to-hoof. "Let's go get Saix!" He bounded out the glass doors.

"Wait! Roxas!" Xion flew after him.

He stopped outside. "You go get Saix, I'll wait for Axel!"

"Roxas I can't!"

"Why not?"

"The minute he finds out Axel's in trouble he's going to get so mad! And he always takes it out on me!"

"Fine!" He found a discreet corner to open a dark portal. "I'll go get him, you find Axel!" He disappeared through it.

Making the most of her wings, Xion returned to the Police Station, flying close to the ceiling, keeping to the edges, shadows and corners as she flew through the out of bounds hallways.

"Can't he hurry up?" She heard the irritated voice.

Hanging upside down from the hallway ceiling, she observed the scene.

Axel and the two Police Officers stood outside several doors; a Sloth very slowly exited one of the rooms… painfully slow!

"What, you think he's too slow?" The Fox seemed amused.

"Please try and be patient Axel," the Rabbit tried to keep him calm, "this will all be sorted soon."

The Sloth was almost out the room. "Hey Flash," the Fox greeted, "wanna hear another joke?"

"No!" Both Axel and the Rabbit cried.

Flash slowly opened his mouth. "Yes," he finally said, "I would" Axel narrowed his eyes "like" the Rabbit groaned "to hear" and pulled on her ears "another" Flash stopped moving "joke," Axel bared his teeth, "Nick."

Xion found it almost as humorous as Nick. "What did one saggy boob say to the other?"

"I" Flash still didn't move "don't… know," he slowly blinked, "Nick." The Rabbit rapidly tapped her foot on the ground. "What did" Axel knocked his head against the wall "one" he repeatedly bashed his head against it "saggy" Xion could hear the Rabbit gyrate her long teeth "boob" Xion did all she could to prevent herself from giggling "say to" Axel's tail was bristling "the" Flash paused "other?"

"We'd better perk up, or people will think we're nuts!"

Flash's eyes slowly widened, his mouth gradually stretched open and widened into a silent laugh. "Ha." The noise finally came. "Ha." It was creepy. "Ha."

The other interview room door opened and another Sloth, a female with a purple streak in her fur, just as slow, strolled out.

"Hey," Flash said, "Pricilla,"

"Yes" she smiled "Flash?"

"Not this again!" The Rabbit groaned.

"What" Flash began, "did one" he slowly blinked "saggy" Pricilla slowly approached "boob" Axel's chest heaved with frustration "say" Xion expected steam to whistle from Axel's ears at any moment "to" the Rabbt seemed close to madness too "the" he slowly blinked "other?"

"Saix?" Roxas ran into the Castle, searching for the imposing figure in the Grey Area. "Saix!"

"I am right here, Number XIII." He stood in the far corner of the empty room, filling out his clipboard. "Where is IT and Axel?"

Roxas clenched his fists, but ignored Saix's words. "Axel needs a… _lawyer_…" he pondered the correct word, "can you do it?"

"And _why_ does Axel need a lawyer?" He pulled his blue brows closer together.

"An Elephant tried to beat him up! Now the Police are questioning him!"

"An elephant?"

"That's what everyone said it was."

Saix groaned and put his clipboard on the couch, opening a dark portal of his own. "You're all hopeless, come along!"

"Bye Flash!" Nick waved; the Sloths finally on their way. "And remember to be careful next time you follow the masses, sometimes the M is silent!"

The rabbit scowled up at him. "Can we _finally _go in and get this interrogation over with?"

"Bunnies first." He stepped aside.

"Oh no!" Xion breathed as the door closed behind them, "Saix isn't here yet!" She flew back down the halls, hoping to wait for Roxas at the desk.

"Benjamin!" Roxas galloped to the desk as Xion flew down to settle on it. "I brought the lawyer! His name is Saix!"

Xion's bat ears drooped flat when the HUGE shadow loomed over her. "S-Saix…" She nervously greeted, clutching her paws together.

"Where is he?" Saix was angry.

"Uh…!" Benjamin giggled nervously. "Room three! He's just gone in! You'll find it down that way." He pointed down the hall.

Saix glared at the two Nobodies. "You two wait here. We'll talk about this later."

Xion only dared to speak when he left. "Saix is so scary!" She squeaked.

"I know! I thought he was gonna eat me on the way here!"

"I told you everything that happened!" Axel growled, sat at the iron table in the dull room. "The Elephant knocked into me, my friends got upset, the Elephant got angry! Get it memorized!"

"Mr Jumbo is saying that you instigated the event," the Rabbit, who had called herself Judy on the recording tape, said, "he is calling it an assault!"

Nick was laid back, slouched in his chair, his arms crossed. "I'm sure he is. Jumbo thinks anything he can tread on is beneath him."

"Nick!" Judy growled.

"Especially Foxes, he one stomped on me for looking like I was 'thinking about doing something shifty.'"

"Oh…" Axel realised, "so _this _is the darkness Zexion sensed…"

"What was that?" She asked.

"I said all this prejudice makes me incensed."

Nick prevented Judy from talking, holding his paw to her arm. "Hey, Fox-to-Fox, I get it. No one understands more than me. It's hard to be a predator in Zootropolis, where you from?"

"Ah…" Axel spluttered. "Here and there. My friends wanted to see the world so we've been travelling for ages now. Getting off at different stops, letting them roam as young animals should, you know."

"Don't say anything else, Axel!" Heavy stomping was heard as Saix entered the room. "I am Saix and I will be acting as Axel's lawyer."

Axel's eyes bugged out his head. "Aw, man! Why you of all…? Literally everyone!"

Judy shrank a little when she saw him, quickly regaining her composure. "Mr Saix, I am Officer Judy Hopps, this is Officer Nick Wilde. For the record, Mr Axel's lawyer has just entered the room." She laced her paws together as Nick stared up… and up… at Saix.

Axel felt like a bad behaved child, sat in Saix's looming shadow as he had his father's when he was a tiny child. He ran a paw down his face, daring to look up.

Saix was a very tall, scarred, angry Polar Bear! His bright yellow eyes were ringed black and his blue hair framed his angry face.

"I will need a moment to brief with my client."

"You have five minutes." Judy nudged Nick and they left, pausing the record.

"Saix!"

Saix loomed down at him. "Be careful what you say, there's a window here." He pointed to the two-way mirror.

"So…" Axel stared up at him. "A Polar Bear huh? Don't give me that icy look!"

"Are you done?"

"You've always been a cold guy. Where's your heart? It's in a block of ice."

"What did you do Lea?"

He groaned. "There was an Elephant in the street, it bumped into me, Xion and Roxas got upset, a crowd gathered and the Elephant went mad! End of story!"

"Xion_ and _Roxas were _able_ to become upset?" He chided.

His ears flattened a little. "The darkness in the place, I think I found it. It's prejudiced to certain species according to how they're perceived… Foxes aren't thought well of, apparently we're sly and untrustworthy."

"Sounds accurate to me." He stared down at Axel.

"Look, we don't have much time! Are we gonna go or what?"

"We have to deal with this properly. You might need to come back to this world one day, especially if the darkness is manifesting as you say it is, so it would be better if you're not a fugitive."

Axel groaned and let his head slap against the table.

Time passed slowly, the sun went down and the Station lights came on. Roxas and Xion waited in the entrance, watching animals of every sort come and go.

"They've been in there a long time." Xion worried.

"I sure hope Axel's ok."

"Saix looked so mad… and all those animals were so angry! Was it our fault?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"I should go," she spread her wings, "if I'm not here when Saix comes out, maybe he won't be so angry?"

"Xion wait! Look! They're here!"

Axel was tiny next to Saix, glancing at the Polar bear's large hind paws occasionally, keeping an eye on his sore tail.

"Axel!" Roxas galloped to them. "Can we RTC now?"

"Sure we can," he tiredly rubbed his neck, "I'm ready to put my paws up and call it a day."

"I want your reports first. This must not happen again."

"I can't catch a break…"

Saix glared at Xion, she was sat on Roxas' shoulder; seemingly trying to hide behind his neck, "I saw the CCTV footage, your actions were unacceptable! If it weren't for the recorded footage Axel would be in a jail cell right now."

"But what the Elephant did was wrong! Tell him Axel!"

"Look, Roxas, sometimes you just have to let these things go." He headed outside; a line of animals followed him.

"But –!"

Sure they were alone, Axel opened a dark portal. "We'll talk about this when we RTC."

Xion quivered. "Now Axel's angry."

It was nice to recover their humanoid form again, but it was an odd feeling, walking through the portal on paws and emerging on feet.

"Ah!" Xion fell through.

"Xion!" Axel pulled her to her feet. "You probably shouldn't have flown through. Memorize it for next time."

She shrugged out of his hands. "I am never going back!" Upset, she ran out the Grey Area, ignoring Roxas' outstretched hand and worried call.

"You will go where I tell you!" Saix called after her. "Three reports, on my desk before midnight. Let us hope the Superior is in a better mood, for _your_ sakes." He left them, headed out to write his own report.

Roxas anxiously shifted from foot-to-foot. "What will Xemnas do?"

Axel shook his head and sighed. "I don't know... Come on, let's find Xion and write those reports together. If we get our stories straight hopefully he'll be lenient."

"Lenient?"

"Better than his usual self. Come on, if I know Xion's she's run to her room."

Xion was curled on her bed, unhappily pouting up at the incomplete moon through her window. "Xion!" She turned when the door hissed open and Roxas hurried in. "We're all gonna write our reports together so Xemnas will behave like someone nice!"

"I'm not going back to that world Axel!" She sulked when he walked in.

"Let's just write the reports." He opened the draw under her bed and pulled out the stack of printed papers and black ink pens. "The sooner it's done the sooner we can go to sleep." He yawned, setting the papers down on the bed.

There was no desk in the room, aside from the bed and exposed pipes cut into the walls, the room was barren. "Come on, sit up; make room for us." he encouraged, taking a seat where her legs had been.

Xion was quiet as they wrote, aligning their stories.

"Saix saw the CCTV footage, there's no point leaving anything out or exaggerating anything, got it memorized?"

"What's CCTV?" Roxas asked. "Saix said you saw it and that's why they let you go."

"CCTV is the film from a security camera. It films the same place all day so if something goes wrong, like it did today, the police can see the truth for themselves."

"So they saw the Elephant start it first?"

He nodded, gripping the pen lid between his teeth. "They did. Now, what were you guys doing while I was being driven to the Station? Saix will want that reported too."

"We just followed the police car, we didn't ask for directions or anything." Roxas explained.

"…Why did they do that, Axel?" Xion muttered, knees drawn to her chest.

He frowned. "Do what?"

"Everyone was calling you stupid and sly; they treated you like a bad guy because you were a Fox! It wasn't nice!"

Roxas nodded. "I was thinking about that too. Why were they so mean to you?"

"Hey, don't overthink it! It's not like I had the heart to get upset about it!" He thumped his chest.

"It wasn't nice." Xion repeated, resting her head on her knees.

"Listen," Axel began, "it's not the first time I've been treated that way."

"It's not?" Roxas exclaimed.

"Where you a Fox before?" Xion asked.

"No," he laughed, "but I've always had red hair and, before I was a Nobody, I was the tallest kid in town. People used to pick on me."

"But why?" Xion slammed her fist on the bed, rustling the papers. "Why did they do that? It's not like it's your fault!"

"Woah, calm down! People will start thinking you have a heart if you keep that up!" He set his pen down. "It's called _prejudice_."

"Prejudice?" Roxas frowned. "What's that?"

"It's when someone has a bad opinion of someone or something for no real reason. Before I was a Nobody, people decided that because I have red hair I must have a bad temper, so they treated me like it. It's the same in the world we just visited; they think that every Fox is untrustworthy, so some animals treat them like that."

"But it's not right!" Xion ranted.

"I never said it was."

"Isn't there anything you can do Axel?"

Tired, he rubbed the back of his head. "No." He leant his forearms on his knees. You just gotta keep proving them wrong. I learnt a long time ago that prejudiced people are ill-educated… no one ever taught them what a person is."

Xion hung her head. "Saix is prejudiced."

"Saix doesn't have a heart, neither do you. He doesn't have to worry about hurting your feelings if you have none."

"But I don't like it!" She shook her head, frustrated. "We may not have hearts," she held a hand to her chest, "but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

"You can't hurt without a heart!"

She didn't look up. "Well, whatever this is, I know it hurts."

"You're just remembering what it feels like when your feelings are hurt. When we have hearts Saix will stop saying things that make you think you feel that way."

"…I hope you're right."

"But 'til then," his voice became stern, "you two have to learn some self-control! You really landed us in hot water today!"

"We ruffled Saix's fur the wrong way?" Roxas grinned.

"Roxas!" Axel barked, making him flinch. "I'm serious! We're gonna be in a lot of trouble for this! If it happens again we could all end up as Dusks, if we don't already!"

Roxas squirmed. "We're sorry Axel."

"We won't do it again." Xion promised.

Roxas looked up. "We just didn't like them talking about you like that."

"Self-control kids. Xemnas and Saix talk down to me enough for me to learn when to keep quiet. The minute you answer back, you let them win. Don't give them reason to be right."

Xion shyly smiled. "You know so much Axel! And… _we_ like your red hair!"

"'Course you do! I look great!" He grinned.

Roxas smiled. "And I really like how tall you are, on hot days your shadow keeps the sun off us."

"Hey!" They dared to laugh and returned to their reports.

"Axel, we didn't find the Heartless!" Xion gasped.

"There was no Heartless, just a type of darkness with the potential to become a Heartless, but it's not there yet."

"Can't we stop it?" Roxas eagerly asked.

"Just… be better than they are. Maybe they'll gain a wiser understanding, but it begins with you. If you want things to change, you're the one who has to set the example."

"How can we do that?" Xion asked.

"I guess… when you get your own heart, just… be kind and understanding. Even to others who are different than you. Different on the outside doesn't mean different on the inside."

They nodded.

"If Demyx went to that world, he'd be a Sloth!" Xion announced.

Roxas frowned. "Why's that Xion?"

"Because he's so slow!" She laughed.

Axel sighed. "Did you two listen to anything I just said?"


	3. The Eggplant and the Purse - Part 1

"Roxas! You're _fifteen_! This _has_ to have happened before!" I tried to distract myself with the laundry, tugging it out of the basket and tried to flap it into something that resembled a fold, not caring that Isa would complain, then starch and fold them into a crisp shape _Marie Kondo_ would be envious of.

"Why would something like this have happened before?" Roxas' face looked like a juicy tomato sweating in a lidded pot. "What's wrong with it?" He kept his hands in his pockets, trying to push the fabric away from the _problem_… his two tone cut pants framed the prominent issue in a way that made both him and I uncomfortable!

Blushing, Xion stood dutifully by his side. Not knowing where to look; her big blue eyes, innocent, so innocent, religiously followed the frantic movements of my hands balling clothing.

"There's nothing wrong with it! Just…!" I had run out of laundry and eagerly looked about the apartment, frantically searching for something, ANYTHING, to distract myself with! "Xion, can you leave?" I pointed to her bedroom.

"But I'm wondering too." She blushed a shade brighter. "I didn't know… _things_… could do… _that_. It won't happen to me will it?"

"Happen to y – With _WHAT_ is _THAT_ going to happen to you?" I felt my cheeks burn as I pointed at Roxas. I am slowly becoming convinced that their naivety is just lack of common sense! …But when you come from Sora brains are too sparse to share I guess. "Look, this is strictly a guy thing, it can't happen to you!"

Roxas anxiously looked down at himself. "But why did it do this?"

The dishes! They were dry in the rack and needed putting away! Perfect! I nearly tripped over the struggle bat resting against the wall as I made a bee-line for them. "Didn't Ansem program the knowledge into you in the _Other Twilight Town_?" I loudly clanged the pots and dishes as I set them in the cupboards, wishing the noise could drown out the situation.

"WHAT KNOWLEDGE?" His face darkened with his temper as he stomped his foot.

I gave up on the dishes, hung my head and groaned, unable to ignore the kids anymore. I seriously considered drowning myself in the kitchen sink. "Sit down." I sighed. _'Man… why me? Why?' _When I turned they had both obediently sat on the old couch. I moved to the mismatched armchair, wishing the well-used cushions could swallow me whole. "What were you doing when _it_ did _that_?" I held my hand to my forehead, groaning inside.

"Uh…" Roxas could turn no redder so he hung his head; his embarrassing problem that had caused this chaos had wilted. "Nothing."

"Roxas, I'm a guy!" I feel bad for myself that I have to remind him, it really doesn't say much for my masculinity. "So I know something got your motor running!"

"My motor running?"

I had equally baffled Xion. "Roxas has a motor?"

I hung my head and muttered. "_Please, strike me down now."_ I cleared my throat and dared to look them in the eye, a little worried I would turn to stone. "Were you thinking of a girl or something like that?" I know I'm not supposed to presume, but I've known Roxas long enough to know what sex peaks his interests.

"Oh!" Xion squealed. "Hayner sent Roxas a picture on his Gummi Phone! Show him Roxas!" She giggled. "It's so weird!"

My stomach sank.

Roxas dug into his pocket for his phone. "I still don't get what those people were doing."

It had been so long since I had last felt dread, and never so strongly. "Okay…" I rubbed the back of my head, my hair standing on end more than usual, "so I'm gonna have to talk to Hayner's parents next." _Oh fun_. "This is just getting worse and worse."

Xion frowned. "You're mumbling a lot today Axel."

"Sorry! Sorry! Come on, hand it over, show me this picture." The phone was placed in my hand, downloaded picture already on screen. "Woa!" I tried rotating the phone and tilting my head. "Never seen it done like that before." I tore my eyes away to scowl at them. "I don't want either of you to have stuff like this on your phone!" I put on my sternest voice, hoping they would memorize it. "I'm gonna delete it." And put a child lock on their Gummi Phones.

"But what are they doing Axel? And why won't you tell me why me why my –!" A look of horror appeared on the boy's face. "It's happening again! _Axel_!" He desperately whined my name, leaning forward to conceal himself.

"Alright! Alright! I'm thinking!" Thinking of all the way's I'll torture Hayner when I find him.

How did my parents teach me about sex? I think I was six… I must have said or done something because dad weaselled his way into my room, (I must look as terrified and awkward as he had then).

He had my mom's purse in one hand and the eggplant we'd be eating for dinner in the other. Then he put on the strangest puppet-show, said _"ACHOO! It sneezed! Well that's that"_ and ran! Rest in peace old man, you got your revenge, I now know how you felt.

I didn't learn much from his horror show… actually, I didn't learn anything from it! It changed my view of eggplants that's for sure, and the sight of a purse strikes me with both anxiety and arousal.

Once again, Xion kept her eyes trained on me. "Don't you know?"

"Of course I know!" I barked, hiding my face in the palm of my hand. "Okay," I took a deep breath, "so, you two know that you are different… _down there_?"

Roxas screwed up his face. "It's not gonna start bleeding is it?"

"No Roxas, it's not."

Xion suddenly smiled, she had her know-it-all expression layering her squeamish one. She was getting very good at expressions. "I know we're different!" She was proud to announce. "The leaflet you got me with my pads said have a vagina. Then, Olette told me the girls and boys bathrooms are separate so we don't see their... _penicillin_…?"

I'm sure Roxas' and my prayers for death crossed lines on the way up.

"It's not called penicillin!" He barked.

"There are many names for it!" Yet I couldn't bring myself to use any of them. "Back on track, do you know _why_ your bodies are different?"

Like a livid toddler, Roxas glowered. "You're such a numbskull!" I'd not heard him use that tone since I found him in the _Other Twilight Town_. "It's because Xion's a girl and I'm not! Why can't you just answer the question?"

I chose to ignore his tone and the way he pulled away when Xion tried to console him with the touch of her hand on his shoulder. "So neither of you know why boys and girls are different? Boys and girls are different so they can have… _sex_." Twenty-six years old and I'm already turning into my father, whispering the word _sex_ and no doubt all the other informative words that would follow.

"Sex? What's that?" Xion tilted her head.

"It's… what those two people were doing in that picture." I hoped the faster I spoke the sooner this would be over.

They stared at me, awaiting a greater explanation.

"Sex is…" my face was no doubt as red as my hair, "an act two people do when they want to make a baby or just have fun."

"It didn't look fun." Xion frowned. "The girl looked like she was screaming!"

I choked on my breath for a moment. "She probably was… But it's a different type of scream. Like when you went on that rollercoaster!"

"So an excited scream?"

"That's it!"

Roxas bristled with anger like an upset porcupine. "But why is this happening to me?" He all but wailed, balling his hands into fists and digging his feet into rug on the floorboard.

This was it… No going back. "That, Roxas, is happening so sex can take place. When a guy feels a… certain way… his body does that so sex can happen."

"But what is his _thing_ supposed to do when it's like that?" I have never wanted to kill Xion before.

"Well… ah… it… it does that so it can..."

Roxas frowned. "Do we need to see more pictures?"

"NO! Absolutely not! I can tell you!"

"Then hurry up and do it!"

"You yell at me like that one more time I'll leave you to suffer alone and clueless!" I scowled, digging my fingers onto the arm of the chair. "You need two people to have… _sex_. And those people get turned on." Roxas looked confused. "What now?"

"Turned on? Is that the button you were telling me about? The ones girls have that guys push to make them mad?"

Xion pouted. "What?"

"No, Roxas, it's not." I am so buying them a book about this! "There are no buttons just a physical feeling. The guy gets… like you did, and the girl…" I felt my face flush, Xion squeaked when she realised _something_ could happen to her too, "she gets wet down there!"

"I'll wet myself?" She squeaked, eyes wide and terrified.

"No! Not wet yourself just… I don't know! Things get slimy… yet satisfying… So it's easier for the guy to… put it in there."

"Put _what_ in _where_?" Judging by Roxas' voice he was catching on.

"You get it hard so you can stick it in the girl!" There! I said it!

"_Uh_!" Xion looked sick. "That's gross Axel!"

"Are you lying?"

"Yes, I'm lying! I've been sat here humiliating myself just for the sake of it!" I groaned. "Didn't you wonder why the people in the photo were naked?"

Xion peered through her fingers, her hands spread on her face. "They were having sex?"

"That they were."

"So…" Xion squeaked, "Roxas will put his penicillin in _my vagina_?"

"NO!" I leapt out my chair. "NO! NO!" I couldn't stress that word enough. "No! No! No! No! Sex is for couples! Like… people in love, you know!" I was not about to make things more complex by explaining every possible sexual encounter.

They looked relieved.

"Phew!" Xion breathed. "You worried me!"

Roxas' silence was scaring me.

"So…" he broke his silence, "what does my… _do_ when it's in… _there_?"

I slammed my body back against the chair as I fell into it, now I was just begging it to swallow me whole! "It… you just… kind of…" even if I had a purse and an eggplant I don't think I could bring myself to make the necessary movements. '_You had balls dad!'_ No pun intended. "You pull it in and out until it's over!"

Xion cringed and crossed her legs. "Wouldn't that hurt?"

"…That's what the wet feeling's for…"

"Oh, so it's like oil!" The light bulb in her head clicked. "Like when Saix oiled the front door's rusty keyhole so we could get in the apartment easier!"

That was one way to describe it. "…Whatever works for you Xion."

I didn't like Roxas's expression, his deep, thoughtful, curious, _evil_ little expression. "How will I know when it's over?"

"What are you saying Roxas?"

"You said I pull it in and out until it's over. When do I know it's over?"

My dad had finished his puppet show by pretending the eggplant sneezed in the purse before he fled my room and drowned himself in a bottle… as I planned to do later. Sea salt ice cream just isn't strong enough for some things. "It will sneeze!"

"My _thing_ will sneeze?" He gaped.

"Yes Roxas, you'll know it when it happens, and afterwards it won't be hard anymore."

"I didn't know it could sneeze!"

"Sex sounds really horrible," Xion squirmed, "all snotty and slimy."

I got up from my chair; this talk had reached its climax! "I guess it is. And now you know everything." I headed for the fridge, searching for anything stronger than beer.

"Hey, Axel," followed me around, Xion not too far behind him.

"Hm?" I grabbed the can.

"You said people have sex when they make a baby? How does that happen?"

"Dunno. Go to the library and find it in a book."

Xion rung the hem of her skirt. "Have you had sex?"

I slammed the can down, grabbed the struggle bat and stormed to the front door!

"Axel? Where are you going?" Roxas called.

"To find damn Hayner!"


	4. The Aftermath - Part 2

"Hayner sent me something." The paper thin walls scarcely muffled Roxas' voice, his and Lea's bedroom beside mine.

"What are they doing?" I heard Xion gasp. She was sat in there with him with the door closed… again.

I sighed and stood from my chair, the paperwork littering the small desk under my window would have to wait a moment. I had scolded those two multiple times for sitting in the bedroom with the door closed; they're growing up after all, and though they have been raised more as siblings than friends they've new feelings now, feelings they've not endured before, and I know first-hand that regaining a heart brings a shocking plethora of overwhelming emotions; each one more powerful than it ever had been before as the heart settles in place… and should one add hormones into the mix… I cringe thinking of it!

Roxas' desk chair squeaked. "I don't know," I raised my hand to knock on his and Axel's bedroom door, "where are their clothes?"

"Roxas, is there an ice cream stick in your pocket?" My raised knuckles paused, millimetres away from the door. "That looks uncomfortable."

"Ice cream stick? _AH_!" His rising panic radiated from the room. "That's not an ice cream stick! That's my… Why's it doing that?" He shuffled. "It's never looked like that before!"

"Roxas, why did you cover my eyes?"

_No…! _I backed away from the door, the emotion I recognised as horror spiralled in my gut; my sudden erection of terrified emotion shocked me no doubt as much as Roxas' had him.

"I think it's broken!" I heard him cry. "It's getting… bigger!"

"You mean swollen? Do you need the first aid box?"

I should have run in right then and pulled Xion out, told Roxas' that his body was perfectly normal and this is what happens when you look at things you ought not. But all I could do was take another step back.

"I'm home!" The apartment door opened and Lea traipsed in, lugging our two bags of laundry home from the laundrette. I hurried passed him before he could close the door. "Isa? Where you going?"

"Out." My mouth was dry. I was absolutely NOT dealing with THAT. I have already given Xion one _talk_. Lea befriended them; he's the one who permanently took them under his wing, he is the adult who decided to play happy families in the Organization so he's the one who can answer life's cruel questions!

I closed and locked the door behind me, waiting in the hall outside wondering where I should go and how long I should remain absent for. I did not want to go where Lea could find me.

"Axel?" so, the walls are just as thin in the hall… good to know. Xion's voice was so timid; the innocent little creature must have been in a state of shock. Did she even know that the human anatomy differs according to gender? Well… I suppose she must after our little _discussion _several nights ago.

"Hey Xion," Lea set the laundry bags down on the kitchen island, "Roxas." He sounded distracted. "Do you two know what has to be finished by Wednesday?"

I could practically hear the ticking of their minds... actually; I'd imagine it's more of a '_clunking'_ sound. "…Tuesday?" Xion slowly replied, probably blinking those big naïve eyes.

"…Well you're not wrong Xion but I was talking about your high school applications. You go in a month! If you don't fill it out you'll just have to make do with the classes they give you, and they're the classes _no one_ wants to take!" It was nice to hear Lea being responsible for a change, perhaps he's only a child in my presence? "Roxas, are you listening?"

"Sorry, I've got other things on my mind."

"Like what?"

"I'm worried about my…" He was quiet. "…baking."

"Baking?"

"Yeah, I had a problem with my… éclair." _Roxas… you're killing me…_

"Éclair's?" Lea sounded surprised. "_You _made an éclair? I'm not surprised it went wrong! Aren't those really hard?"

"_Harder_ than usual." I slapped my head to my hand, I wanted to walk away but for some reason I remained glued to the one spot spying on my family of friends.

"And a bit bigger than expected." Xion chimed in.

"I think mom said something once about beating the pastry too much." _Lea… shut up_. "It might deflate if you stick a knife in it!"

"Stop Axel!" My heart went out to the boy, even my legs were crossed.

"What? What did I say?"

Roxas stuttered, searching for the words to describe his dilemma. I'm not sure he even had the basic vocabulary to describe it.

Xion to the rescue. "Roxas doesn't really have éclairs on his mind,"

"Xion!"

"Roxas, we have to tell him! It could be really bad if we don't!"

"Tell me what?"

"My… it's…" Roxas began. "The éclair's not in my mind it's… in my pants! I'm _swollen_!" _Poetry_.

"Well I'm not surprised if you stuck it in there!" _I am surrounded by idiots._

"It's not a real éclair Axel." Xion explained.

"See!"

"Woa! Okay I get it just put your hand back where it was before!" He took a deep breath. "Man…!"

"I think it's broken."

"Will he need to go to the Doctor and get a cast?"

I heard flapping fabric being shaken free of wrinkles. I truly hoped Lea wasn't going to attempt ironing again. Just knowing he was handling the laundry almost made me run in and snatch it away.

"Roxas! You're _fifteen_! This _has_ to have happened to you before!" That was when I found the strength to leave, I had heard enough to scar me for a lifetime.

It was the holidays so the town was packed with families enjoying their day, I watched three of those ridiculous cartoons in the outdoor cinema, not ready to return home until I was certain the latest learning curb had passed… I may have stood there until the winter had Lea's flaming hair not caught my eye, walking down the street above, struggle bat in his hand, a bloodthirsty expression upon his flushed face. "Lea?" I followed him.

"You knew didn't you?" He scolded, stopping his stride to holler at me. "Thanks for leaving me there!"

"Like you did when Xion began her cycle?"

His blush deepened. "That was different!"

"Was it really?" I looked at the struggle bat in his hand. "Where are you going with that?"

"To find Hayner!" He began walking again, the bat swinging in his grip. "If he hadn't sent Roxas' that picture they never would have asked me about that stuff!"

CLOP! I scowled when the struggle bat hit my head. When I opened my eyes I saw it pointed between them. "Lea!"

"It's your fault too for telling Xion to ask me about where babies come from!"

"They're beginning school in a month. Wouldn't it be better for them to know before they shame themselves in front of the other students?"

"They're going to school to learn all that stuff! That's how I learnt!"

"And how much do you _actually know_ about the human body? Please tell me you didn't give them the eggplant demonstration?" We began walking.

"Of course I didn't!"

"What did you tell them?"

"I told them about their… and how it… you know! So they can…"

"The school's struggling with a slogan for _Relationships Sex and Health_ perhaps you should suggest that?"

"If you don't like it you should have spoken to them yourself!"

"I just hope you explained the matter adequately."

He quirked his brows and bent down so his head was level beside mine. I didn't like that impudent expression. "How 'bout when you get home I'll tell them _you're_ gonna _quiz_ them."

"There's no need for that." I said as quickly as I could.

"I'll even help you plan some of the questions: – W_hat's another word for penicillin? _–could be a good one."

"_Penicillin_?"

"You'll find out. This is it!" He stepped up to the bright green door and knocked, struggle bat in hand. Obviously he was too dense to memorize that he could summon his Keyblade at his heart's desire.

Hayner's father opened the door; it was easy to see where the boy got his acrobatic form from.

"You're… Roxas' guardians, right?"

I snatched the struggle bat from Lea before he could speak. "Yes, we've come to return this. Xion borrowed it when we moved."

"Thanks, Hayner will be needing this!"

Lea had his hands on his hips. "Actually, I need to talk to you about him."

"Well, you can come in, just ignore the mess." He opened the door and allowed us entry.

Hayner had several younger brothers; it was obviously a male household, like ours I suppose, and like ours it had the scattered feminine touch added by the lone female.

Hayner's mother sat at the table, framing the best of her photo's. "I heard you talking," she said as we entered, "what's Hayner done now? Sit down and tell us." I like her, a very matter-of-fact woman, no beating around the bush, she gets right to business.

We did just as she commanded, awkwardly sat, wondering where to begin. I decided to allow Lea to tell the tale.

"I'll just come right out with out," he rubbed the back of his head, "Hayner sent my kids porn."

Hayner's mother, I think her name is Hana, slammed a photo frame down. "He WHAT?" She turned to glare at her husband. "Did you know about this Haruo?"

"No dear." He sounded much more diffident around his wife; however, he obviously wore the pants in the family… Hana just chooses which ones he wears.

"Look, I get it, they're kids! They're curious!" Lea announced. "But… I don't want Roxas and Xion getting the wrong idea about…"

Hana kept her face stern. "_Sex_?"

He nodded, embarrassed.

"If you're too coy to say the word how did you expect them to learn? Of course they're going to search elsewhere!"

"They're going to school! They'll learn there!"

"At this age?" She emphasized with the clip of another photo in the frame. "Haimish is in grade five and he's already been taught the basics."

"_Grade five?_" Lea gaped. "That's way too young!"

"You're right… best to wait until they're hormonal and easily embarrassed before teaching them what goes where."

My mouth pulled into a smile, I couldn't help it. _Finally_, a person on my wavelength. "Xion and Roxas have a complicated background we are trying to address, this is the first time they will be attending school. We would rather educate them on this matter ourselves without them having any preconceived notions."

She smiled back, an all-knowing smile I didn't like. "They're teenagers, their whole lives are a preconceived notion all of their own! At least until they're grown and raising teens themselves."

It was obvious that Lea could not wait to leave, bouncing his knee, gripping the legs of his pants. "If that's settled we should get going." He stood.

I remained seated, partly because I had questions, mostly because it annoyed him. "Do you have any advice on how we can give them this talk?"

"Isa! I told you I already spoke to them!"

"And I said they'll be more confused than reassured."

She never stopped working, her hands sorting through glass and frame as she looked at us. "They can smell fear, so speak with confidence if you want them to listen and engage. You can scream into a pillow later."

"Thank you. Let's go, Lea." I paused. "I trust this matter with Hayner is settled?"

She nodded; her eyes firm and unyielding. "Oh, I will have more than words with that boy, trust me. Don't let the Ambulence sirens alarm you on your way home."

I nodded my approval and left, allowing Haruo to bid us goodbye and close the door behind us.

"Should have known you like scary women." Lea said almost immediately.

"It was nice to have some adult company. Now all I have is you."

"Hey!" He caught up with my quick strides. "Isa, how did your parents give you the talk?"

Why would he feel the need to ask me that? "I don't remember."

He had the power to see beyond my blank expression. "You do!"

"Lea," I hoped he would drop the subject, knowing deep down that he wouldn't.

"Come on! Tell me!" He was grinning like that damned Cheshire Cat. "Was it _really_ that bad?"

"It was the facts of life, nothing more."

"Did you cry or something? I bet they scared you so much you've never even done it! Is that why you want me to tell the kids about this _again_? Because you were too traumatised to remember what those body parts are for? My guess is it's _you _who really wants to know."

He really knew how to push my buttons. "If you must know, my parents had sex while I was lying next to them hiding from a storm. They didn't know I was there." That shut him up. His mouth fell open, his pupils shrank, then his eyes grew wide and he _laughed._

"Pfft!" He bit his lip. "Ha! Oh man! I didn't think it would be that bad! How old were you?"

"Does it matter?"

"They must have had more questions for you than you had for them!" He couldn't stop laughing, so much so he had to stop walking. What with his height I was convinced he'd collapse a lung. One can only hope.

"Only when father rolled off mother and landed on me." Tears streamed down his face, he obviously still needed the tattoos. "It's not funny!"

"It is!"

"At least I can eat an eggplant without cringing and have never been aroused by a purse."

I was silent until he stopped and caught his breath, he giggled the occasional laugh as we walked the spider web of brick roads; elevated train tracks hummed over our heads. We live a ways out of the Town Centre where the rent is cheaper and the view of the Clock Tower and mountain is magnificent.

There is actually quite a lot of farmland in Twilight Town, the further from the Centre you journey the greater the scent of earth.

Lea left my side, detouring down one of the adjoining roads. "Where are you going?"

"Bookstore!" He barked. "They have to have a book that explains all this!"

I followed him. "For them or for you?"

"Actually I was getting it for you!" He pulled his hood up in the bookstore, obviously not wanting to be recognised. The hood on his jacket was not as good as the Organization coat. "You're buying a sex education book not porn, stop looking so shifty."

"This one! This will do!"

I snatched the chosen book from his hand as he turned to pay for it. "This is for age six."

"I thought we'd work from the bottom up!"

"That's usually how the act is accomplished." He became as red as his hair. "I'm finding it hard to believe you've ever had sex." I scanned the shelves, searching for a more adequate book.

"Talking about it and doing it are two very different things!"

"I never thought you the sort of man to be quiet during the act."

"Can we stop talking about my sex life and get out of here?"

I scanned the pages of the blue book I held, it explained everything. It was marked for ten year olds but it was the best I could find. It was filled with cartoonish pictures, details explanations of the human body, consent and sex through to pregnancy and birth. "This one." I showed him. "It seems perfect for teaching a pair of three-year-old teenagers."

"Good, pay and let's get outta here."

"You pay." I threw the book at him. "You're the one who wanted to keep them."

"It was _you_ who put Roxas under my care!"

"And then you took it upon yourself to play mother hen. A week of missions was not an order to play with a doll and parent an empty-headed teenage boy."

"What was I supposed to do? He followed me everywhere!" He kept his head low as he approached the counter, paying as quickly as he could.

"He followed you because you kept feeding him."

"It was only sea salt ice cream!"

"You got too attached to them and now you're stuck with them. This responsibility is yours."

"You keep telling yourself that," we left the store, "but you're getting attached to them too."

"I am not."

"You are! Why else would you be so worried about them making a fool of themselves at school?"

…He made an excellent point… but I'll not believe it! "Because it reflects badly on us."

"Aw! You worried people will know you're a virgin?"

V_irgin? _I walked ahead. "I'll have you know I had sex yesterday."

"Wait, what?" He chased after me. "With _who_? It doesn't count if you did it with yourself you know!"

We returned home. The _mess_ Lea had left behind instantly approached us.

Xion thrust a pill bottle at him. "I don't understand how this makes babies!"

_Penicillin_, I read the label.

"Ah… it… doesn't… It kills the headache baby's cause." He tossed the bottle over his shoulder.

"Axel, you're back!" Roxas hurried out the bathroom. "You weren't too hard on Hayner, were you?"

"We didn't see Hayner we spoke to his mom and – you have tissue hanging out your trouser leg…."

"Yeah." He nodded as if nothing were out the norm.

"And _why_ is there tissue trailing out your pant leg?"

"Because I put it here." Indeed, there was a bulbous shape of balled tissue at his crotch.

"_Why_ Roxas?"

…_I don't think I wish to know._

He shrugged as if Lea were an idiot… the boy is not wrong. "In case my… _you know…_ sneezes."

Lea and I scarcely managed to blink. "What exactly did you tell them?" I finally glared.

"I told them what I could, alright!" He threw his hands in the air, threw the book at me and stomped to the freezer, removing the big tub of emergency sea salt ice cream kept for such stressful occasions. "But what with Xion thinking she's an oil slick and Roxas looking at porn it was complicated!" He kicked the freezer door shut, sat on his stool at the kitchen island, pulled a spoon from the draw and ate a large mouthful of ice cream. "They didn't even know what that picture was! Heck, even _I _didn't know what I was looking at exactly! The human body shouldn't be able to_ bend _that way."

"We're right here!" Roxas clenched his fists. "And we would have known what the picture was if it had been captured better!"

"What was the picture of then, Roxas?" I sat opposite Lea, taking a spoon of my own to dig into the ice cream.

"Uh…"

Xion took her seat beside Lea. "It was a photo of a naked man about to sneeze."

Lea hung his head. "Xion… Xion… Didn't you guys understand a word I said?" He mourned.

Roxas sat beside me. "Girls wet themselves so guys can sneeze inside them."

BANG! I dropped the book on the table. "Lea is going to read this with you." I said just as Lea was mid-swallow, _perfect timing_. It was amusing to watch him choke; the spoon nearly disappeared down his throat as his eyes bulged.

"WHAT?" He almost fell off his stool. "They can _read_!"

"But they won't understand it. They're going to have questions." I crossed my legs. "Roxas is still awaiting his first period and Xion is more clueless than he is."

"Hey!" Xion was insulted.

"Saix!" Roxas whined.

"He's waiting for his…?" Lea frowned at Roxas. "I _told you_ it's not gonna bleed!"

Smiling is still new to me, it feels strange, so in that moment I settled for a slight grin. "Enjoy yourself Lea."

"No!" He desperately gripped my wrist as I moved. "I just gave them the talk!"

"And I told Xion about menstruating." I watched him cringe at the mere word.

"You only spoke to _one_ of them; I spoke to both of them! Let's make it an even number!"

"If that's the case then my tally will be three and yours will be two, then you'll have to answer the next set of awful questions."

Lea gripped his hair "What could be worse than this?"

"Do you really want to find out? Go on, talk to them." Satisfied, I took another mouthful of delicious ice cream, watching his face turn pale with mortification, no doubt wondering what they may ask him next. "Anytime Lea, preferably before Xion starts asking boys about their _penicillin_ on the playground and Roxas _sneezes_ in class."

"Alright! Alright!" He dropped his head to the table, a mass of red spokes standing tall. "I can't believe you're gonna make me do this again."

"The ABC of sex?" Roxas held the book in his hands. "What about the rest of the letters?"

Xion moved to stand behind him, turning the cover and staring at the first page. "You can have sex with the alphabet? Is that how babies get their names?"

They turned another page, eagerly scanning it until Roxas' mouth fell open. "Is that what we look like on the inside?"

Xion giggled. "Boys penicillin looks a bit like the Nobody logo, don't you think?" _If my views of Organization XIII were not tarnished before they definitely are now._

"Why are there seeds inside _that _Axel?"

Xion tilted her head. "These don't look like the eggs we have in the fridge."

Stunned and horrified by the pair I sighed. "Truce?" He would need back up for this talk.

He ground his teeth. "Truce."

"Get back in your seats." I spread the book on the centre of the island top like a book of evil from one of those ridiculous horror movies we had banned them from watching after they summoned their Keyblade's and attacked the television set. "We begin here," I drew their attention to the first page, "this is –"

"Wait!" Xion really must learn to stop interrupting. "Axel should tell us from the beginning and carry on where he left off."

Roxas kept his eyes cast down, unable to stop staring at the shape of the female. "Yeah, you told us we'll get all slimy, I'll sneeze and babies come from library books. What's next?"

"Lea?"

"Hey! That's not what I said! You two just weren't listening!"

I crossed my arms. "You obviously didn't explain it correctly."

Roxas had a look of pride on his face. "I said I bet you didn't know!"

"You should tell us the way you did before," Xion spoke, "start at the beginning and stop at the end, then Saix can take over. Just don't moan so much this time."

"Whatever did you tell them Lea?"

"Just read them the book."


	5. Nobody's Family

"I have to go, it's my kid!" Axel returned his phone to his pocket.

Of the twelve gathered at the long white table, none were quite as livid as Saix. "This is unacceptable Axel!" He barked. "This is an important meeting; you shouldn't even have your phone on!" Gentle vibrations sounded from his pocket, shaming him into embarrassment as he was forced to put his clipboard down and answer it.

Axel chuckled, smug and satisfied as he collected his black coat.

"What has she done now?" Saix exclaimed into the phone. "I'm on my way."

Axel's grin was wicked. "I'll drive you there."

"Shut up."

"Oopsy daisy!" Xigbar smiled. "Is daddy in trouble with the school again?"

"Kids huh?" Larxene scoffed, disgusted. "Such a disappointment Axel."

Demyx stared into space, unknowing anything had changed.

"Axel, Saix," Xemnas' deep voice stilled them, "come to my office tomorrow."

"Yes Superior." Saix said.

Axel let the glass door fall shut behind them, "Man, now we're in trouble. What did your brat do to my kid this time?"

"Don't you mean what did Roxas do to deserve it?"

"You gotta teach Xion not to use her fists!" He freed his car keys from his pocket, swinging his coat on.

"She doesn't always use her fists, last time she used a pencil." He entered the elevator and pressed B, heading for the concrete car park in the basement of the building.

"She could've given him led poisoning." He clicked his car key when the doors opened and followed the echoing beep to the black worn out car parked near the pillar.

"Roxas bit her so hard he could have given her rabies." He unlocked the car next to Axel's, tugging the booster seat out the back.

"Roxas does not have rabies!" He opened his car door and slid in. "Did the school tell you what they did this time?" He watched him in the mirror, securing the second booster seat in the back.

"No. As always they'll explain it when we get there." He joined him in the front.

His knuckles turned white on the wheel. "The Boss seemed really mad this time. He's gonna demote us to dusks if this happens again." No one wanted to become a Dusk, one of the many underpaid, underappreciated rookies carrying out Xemnas dirty work as if they were nothing and nobody.

"Then teach your kid not to bite."

"Soon as you teach yours not to weaponize arts and crafts!"

"Is weaponize even a word?"

"It is now!"

The drive from The Castle Company, in its cramped streets of Never Was, was a surprisingly short distance from Twilight Town if you took the right route of winding roads; opening out into a brightly lit town. There, Sunset Kindergarten was an adorable little building. The children would gather by the large window each time the tram passed, in fact, nearly every other drawing on their wall of fame was a train if not a sunset.

"Did they even last a full day this time?" Saix rang the bell, awkwardly waiting for a disgruntled worker. The usually happy staff were tiring of the war waging between Roxas and Xion – _Double Trouble_.

"Have they ever?" The door opened. "Hey Aqua!" He tried to joyously greet the blue headed teacher. "…Sorry." he hung his head, "What did they do this time?"

She pulled the door open and stepped aside. "You'd better come in." She led the way down the halls, not that they didn't know the direction of Mister Eraqus' office by now. "They're in the usual place."

"Right." Saix sighed.

The halls were a colourful display of sunflower painted walls. Rainbow bunting draped from beam-to-beam and corkboards of proud drawings lined the walls.

It wasn't surprising to see one of the teachers in the hallway. But usually they had an empty lunch box in hand, not a melting ice pack and swollen black eye!

"Riku! What happened to you?" Axel exclaimed, staring at his scratched arms and the bloody tear on his loose jeans, a white bandage staining red wrapped beneath, peaking free.

"You'll find out." He didn't stop his limping stride, pressing the ice pack to his eye again.

Axel gaped, hoping things hadn't transpired the way they seemed.

They were led upstairs to a long hallway, less colourful the walls were white with a red border, bland and picture-less. A row of small white plastic chairs were lined opposite the door. Roxas slouched in one, his arms crossed, his face an angry pout. Xion was elegantly perched on the other… she looked so innocent, so… _deceptive_.

Axel and Saix sat on either end, bookends caging their children in the middle. The two men had to stretch their legs out to take their weight so the tiny chairs wouldn't bend; that they had learnt after the first day they were called in, when Saix had broken the legs off his chair and hit his head against the wall just as Mister Eraqus opened his door, Axel's laugh had been cut short when he stood and the chair stuck to his hips… Terra had to cut him out of it.

Getting up from those chairs was a dignity they had mastered during their many, _many_ visits.

"What have you done?" Saix hissed at Xion.

Xion twiddled her fingers. "Everything you said Saix." She sweetly told him.

"Roxas," Axel's voice was a slow rumble.

"WHAT?" He barked.

"What did you do to Riku?"

"NOTHING!"

"Alright, what DIDN'T you do to him?" Axel sternly rephrased.

Xion smiled. "Nothing he didn't deserve."

Horrified, Saix stared down at her as if she were possessed.

Mister Eraqus opened his door. "Come in."

With practiced skill they abandoned their chairs. Axel dragged Roxas along by the scruff of his collar while Saix had a firm hold on Xion's shoulder.

Two chairs were placed before the desk, Axel took one, Saix the other, each parent pulled their child onto their lap, expectantly awaiting the scolding.

"Mr Isa, Mr Lee," Mister Eraquas sat before them, "it was nice to see Xion and Roxas getting along today."

"They did?" Saix exclaimed.

"Yes," he closed his eyes and smiled, "they played together, shared together, plotted together and brutalized a teacher together."

Axel hoped it wasn't Riku. "…Which one?"

"As if it matters Axel!" Saix scowled.

"Hey! Some of 'em have it coming!"

Saix sighed. "What did they do?"

"Roxas threw a large toy fire engine at Riku."

Roxas snickered, receiving a sharp clap on his shoulder. "Roxas! I can't believe you'd try to hit Riku!"

"I didn't _try_ to hit him I DID hit him!"

Mister Eraquas kept his face serious. "It hit Riku in the eye. The ladder on the toy could have blinded him! Thankfully, it wasn't serious."

Saix hoped that was the end of it. "And what does Xion have to do with this?"

Compared to Roxas's furious frown, Xion was all light and smiles. "I got him in the leg." She proudly announced with dark amusement.

"Xion!"

Mister Eraquas nodded. "She did… We're not sure what she hit him with. Something clean and sharp."

"Not a pencil was it?" Axel muttered into Roxas's hair, trying to hide the shame on his face.

"My key chain!" Roxas announced. "I let her borrow-ow it."

Axel slapped a hand over his face. Xion and Roxas had matching key chains from the funfair. He supposed that when used violently the silver and gold little key could be quite sharp.

Xion seemed as delighted as when she displayed her finger-paintings to onlookers. "Then Roxas jumped on his back so I could hit his head!" She crossed her ankles, eyes wide and sparkling.

"…There's something wrong with your kid Saix." Axel muttered, leaning away.

Mister Eraquas cleared his throat. "When Riku fell Roxas jumped on his back. We think he was trying to strangle Riku."

Roxas snickered again. "OW!" Axel's hard knuckles knocked against his head.

"Xion!" Saix scowled. "Why would you do that?"

Xion looked confused. "But Saix, you _told_ us to work together!"

"This is not what I meant!"

"Mr Lee, Mr Isa, listen," Mister Eraquas began, "no one understands your situation better than I. Co-parenting adopted twins is hard, I should know, Ven has his bad days and when in cahoots with Vanitas he's even worse, Xehanort and I have to confer daily. However, we cannot have children attacking their teachers. So I am expelling them for a week to curb this behaviour."

"A _week_?" Axel gaped. "What if I just tape mittens to his hands and tie his shoelaces together?"

"We'll manage Axel," Saix said, "we have to."

"Hopefully I'll see you on Monday, but this is your final warning."

"Yes Sir," Saix stood from his chair, putting Xion on the floor.

"Thanks," Axel followed them out, gripping the scruff of Roxas's jacket.

"Goodbye." Mister Eraquas closed his door.

Alone in the hall, Axel and Saix glared down at their children, Saix's arms were crossed; Axel's hand was on his hip.

Two pairs of eyes stared up at them, Roxas, defiant and ready to argue his case, folded his arms and gripped his elbows while Xion clutched both her hands together, her face bright… like an angelic doll.

"Explain yourself Xion!"

"But I did!"

"No ice cream Roxas! Not until you're good for a month!"

"But that's not fair!" Roxas hand was grabbed and he was dragged kicking and screaming to the car.

"Come along, Xion, we'll discuss this at home." Saix calmly walked along, Xion hung her head as she followed.

They were night and day, Saix and Axel, Roxas and Xion, one trying to strap a kicking boy in the back seat, holding flailing limbs in place as he made sure the straps were tight enough to hold him.

Saix clicked his fingers and Xion peacefully climbed into her booster seat and strapped herself in.

"Would you hold still?" Axel struggled with Roxas, fiddling with the twisted straps and gripping Roxas' fist when it swung at him.

"Get off!"

"It would be done by now if you'd just – hey! No biting!"

Saix sat quietly in the front seat; bored-of-face as he listened to Axel's struggle.

SNAP – "There! It's done!" He sat in the driver's seat and tried to ignore Roxas' howls.

"There there, Roxas. It's ok." Xion patted his shoulder.

"Your place?" Axel asked.

Saix nodded.

Saix and Xion lived in the second green-roofed terraced house in front of the outdoor theatre. There, Xion could watch a new cartoon from her window every night and the smell of popcorn drifted through the cracks in the foundation.

"Can we watch a movie?" Xion skipped out of the car as soon as it was safely parked.

"No." Saix grumbled.

"Don't tell me off!" Roxas struggled as Axel carried him up the brick stairs and passed the cinema, the house falling into view.

"Kick me again and I'll _really_ tell you off!" He dragged him through the front door, pulling it shut with his foot.

With no escape, Roxas became perfectly still, his nostrils flared with anger, his little fists, grubby from lunch, balled into fists.

"Cool down, then we'll talk." Axel sat on the couch, listening to Roxas roar with frustration, waiting for him to exhaust himself.

Xion knew the drill all too well. When in trouble the interrogation took place in the kitchen. She pulled herself into her chair, Saix sat opposite her.

"What did Riku do to deserve that?" He frowned.

"He made us stop playing and took my key chain away!" She swung her legs, kicking up the frills of her dress.

"Why?"

"Because he was mean!"

"No."

"Because he's stupid!"

"The truth, Xion."

She hung her head, her voice quietened. "Because Roxas would need an eye patch by now… That's what Riku said."

"And what were you doing with your key chain?"

"Playing war…"

He huffed. "You were fighting with it again?"

"Playing!" Her scowl matched his.

"And did you stop?"

"No…."

"Is that why he took it away?"

"Yeah…"

"Then what did you do?"

Things progressed very differently in the living room. Roxas laid on the floor, exhausted from his kicks and screams. His wild anger had evaporated into something manageable.

"Whose plan was it to attack Riku?" Axel did not move from the sofa.

"Mine!" Roxas wiped his nose on his arm so slime skid across his cheek.

"Why? What did poor Riku do to deserve that?"

Roxas rolled onto his front and climbed onto the armchair, draping himself across the padded arm like a sprawling cat. "He took Xion's key chain away and made us stop playing war."

"And why would he do that? He's the one who won you the key chain!"

"He said Xion was gonna take my eye out and give me an eye patch!"

Axel scratched the back of his head. "Well she could have. Sounds to me like Riku was only looking out for you."

"No he wasn't." Roxas didn't sound so sure.

"Alright, so," he leant forwards, his forearms on his knees, "what did you do to him?"

For the first time, Roxas looked guilty. "Wrestled him…"

Axel grimaced, disappointment clear on his face. "I told you not to do that! You could hurt someone! …You _did_ hurt someone…" He realised.

"He was too tall to wrestle."

"So, what did you do?"

"I give'd Xion my key chain to get him while I hit him."

"With the fire engine?"

"Yeah… And when he fell down I wrestled him…"

"With your arm around his neck?" Roxas nodded. "That was really bad Roxas! Did you see what you did to Riku's eye? Would _you _like a black eye?"

Roxas shook his head. "But Terra pulled me off him!"

"Do you think you should apologise to Riku?" Roxas didn't reply, toying with the zip on his jacket. "Roxas!" Axel moved from the couch to tower over him on the armchair.

Guilty blue eyes snapped up. "Is Riku angry?"

"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. You're gonna say sorry anyway, and you're going to mean it. Are you sorry?"

Roxas nodded.

"Alright then, you're gonna draw him a picture and write 'sorry' inside as soon as Saix is done with Xion."

In the kitchen Xion kept her head low, ashamed, she was no longer light and sweet sparkles.

"So it was Roxas idea to wrestle Riku and yours to attack him with Roxas's key chain?" She nodded. "You're going to apologise to him, formally."

"I don't want to…"

"It's not about what you want. Let's join Axel and Roxas; we'll see what they're going to do about this." He stood, staring down at her expectantly until she hopped off her seat and abandoned the kitchen.

Roxas was still draped on the arm of the chair; Axel stared at him disappointedly from the couch. "How'd it go?" He asked when Xion padded in, Saix followed expectantly behind her.

"Did Roxas talk to you?" Saix looked at the child draped on his chair.

"Yeah, he did. Apparently he wanted to wrestle Riku as revenge for taking Xion's key chain."

"Xion confirmed that." He glared. "I _told_ you not to let them watch wrestling!"

"Hey, they snuck in! I didn't know they were behind the sofa 'til I turned the light on!"

Xion joined Roxas on the armchair, seating herself on the padding while he remained collapsed on the arm.

"That's it," Saix's mouth was a straight line, "no more sleepovers!"

Xion was horrified. "But we like sleepovers!"

"You can't do that! _Please _don't let him do it Axel!" Roxas pushed himself up.

"Every time you two are together you abuse each other," Saix told them, "and now your teachers. If you can't behave you can't stay together."

"But we're just playing when we fight!" Roxas was tearing up, Xion began to sob.

Axel stood. "Why don't you two go play in Xion's bedroom while Saix and I talk? Go on." Roxas led Xion along by her hand as she scrunched up her face, holding her palm to her dripping eyes.

Axel closed the door behind them. "Didn't you memorize it?" He began. "We said we'd keep them together."

"And if keeping them together means trouble?"

"Keeping them apart will be worse."

"I don't want them together until they're back at school and behaving."

"Then _that_ can be their punishment. Roxas is gonna write Riku an apology."

"Xion will too."

"So… I'll take Roxas home and we'll get them together to write their apologies tomorrow. Look, I know this is tough, but you adopted Xion so they could stay together, if you give her back to Vexen now you'll break her."

Saix was not pleased. "Fine." He conceded defeat. "But I tire of this rebellious behaviour."

"Sure, 'cause we _never _rebelled or got in trouble when we were their age."

"We were never that bad!" He scowled.

"If I memorized it correctly we cut the back off the art teachers skirt, spilt water down the hall so the headmistress fell and skid out the open door and didn't we put glue in someone's lipstick?"

"That was all you Axel! So was killing a pigeon with a frisbee, jumping out a two-story window and setting the nurse's hair ablaze when she was setting my arm!"

"That was one hell of a morning wasn't it?" He sighed. "But you know deep down that we weren't easy kids. That's why we can't split Roxas and Xion up. It's like our parents are looking down at us and this is their revenge."

He crossed his arms. "Now you're pulling out the dead parent card?"

"Seems like the perfect time to use it." He grinned. "Anyway, I'm off! See you tomorrow." He left the living room and called up the stairs. "Come on Roxas!"

"NO!"

"We have to go eat!"

"I wanna sleepover!"

"You want me to bring you down myself?" He waited, hearing Roxas begrudgingly walk down the stairs, Xion stood at the top on the landing, hiccupping. "Did you say goodbye to Xion?" He asked when Roxas stomped down the last few steps.

"Bye Xion…" He sadly muttered, taking Axel's hand.

"Xion's coming over tomorrow so you can make Riku's card together."

Xion's face brightened. "I can come over?"

Saix's hand gripped the bannister. "But after tomorrow you're not seeing each other again until you're back at kindergarten and behaving."

Her eyes welled again. "That's not fair!"

"What you did to Riku wasn't fair!"

Axel hurried Roxas out the house before he could join in.

Roxas's eyes became bluer with tears as he followed Axel back to the car. "To the Portal, Roxas!" So they'd named the car for the sake of fun.

Roxas stood still, staring at his shoes. "I want Xion…" His little chest heaved.

"It's just one sleep away Roxas." He walked him down the steps.

"But what about after?" He cried.

"That's six sleeps. You and Xion did a bad thing today." He reminded him. "And when you do a bad thing what happens?"

He played with his jackets zip as he began to stutter on his hiccupping sobs. "I g-ge-get t-told of-f-f-ff…"

Axel lifted him onto his hip, carrying him to the black car as the tram passed. "Look, there's the tram." But it wasn't enough to interest Roxas, wailing into his neck and gripping the spiky red hairs. "Come on Roxas, it's not as if you're never gonna see her again! It's only one sleep away."

"'n I w-w-w—wan' ice-ce cream!"

"No ice cream for a month, get it memorized." Axel opened the car door and tried to place him inside, he'd return Xion's booster seat tomorrow, he'd have to drive Saix to work in the morning anyway.

Roxas' face miserably crumpled, wet drabs leaked from blue eyes, his lips folded into his mouth; stifling sobs. Axel chose to ignore it, Roxas had exhausted himself with his own rage, he'd be sleeping by the time they got home.

"Xion! Give me the black one!"

"No, I'm using it!"

Axel groaned. "Use your own black pen Roxas."

"But Xion got the best one."

"It's just a pen kid."

"Don't call me kid!"

Saix turned another page of his book. "You're six years old, you are a kid."

Roxas growled at him.

Xion flung the pen at him. "Finished! Look Saix!" She got off the floor and hurried to him, laying her 'card' on his knee, a folded piece of thick yellow paper.

It was comical. On the front was a round shape with a bulbous black eye and gangly knee spurting litres of blood.

_Deer Recu,_

_Im so sowwy I neerle cut yur leg of and trid to hit you in the privets._

_Lots of sowwy's fom Xion_

Saix raised a brow. "We need to discuss you're spelling."

Axel leant over the back of the chair and chuckled as he read the note. "He'll love it Xion. How's yours looking Roxas?"

"I need glitter."

"You have the glitter pens right there don't you?"

"No! _Real_ glitter!"

"I don't keep that stuff in the house anymore." He crossed his arms.

Xion pouted. "Why? It's all pretty and sparkly!"

"It is also the source of all evil."

She giggled. "You have evil sauce?"

"Sure I do! I'll give you the recipe."

"I finished it!" Roxas held his card up.

Axel took it, struggling to hold back his laughter as Roxas stared at him so seriously.

The stick drawing of Riku wore a bright pink tutu, like Xion's drawing he had a humungous black eye and red tendons hanging out his leg.

_Dear Reku,_

_Me and Xion are sorry we weseld you wen you was only trying to stop us looking lick Zigber. If you weer a tutu no one mite see your black eye or cut leg._ Please see pickere.

_Sorry, from Roxas_

_P.S Sorry your eye is not black enuf, Xion has the good pen_

"Do you like it Axel?" Roxas eagerly asked.

Axel tried not to smile. "I think it's the best card I've ever seen."

Roxas smiled.

"Better than mine?" Xion pouted, obviously hurt.

"Apart from yours Xion, I think they're both my favourites."

Roxas crossed his arms. "You can't have two favourites!"

"But you two are both my favourite kids!" Axel faked a gasp. "Does that mean I can only like one of you too?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. "And it should be me 'cause I live here."

The side of Saix mouth pulled up slightly. "I think Axel prefer Xion because she _doesn't_ live here."

Xion smiled and hugged his leg. "Thank you Saix!"

"Uh… Xion," Axel began, "that wasn't a compliment."


	6. Dentophobia

It was the pain that woke Roxas, he didn't remember feeling such pain before… actually; he couldn't remember _anything_ of his life before, let alone chewing the corner off his pillow whilst he tossed and turned in bed.

Finally giving up on sleep he stepped across the hall to the bathroom and pulled back the side of his mouth. He wasn't able to see much in the mirror, the painful patch hidden in the shadows of his mouth, his cheek hot and swelling. "Wha' is tha'? OW!" He touched his back tooth and felt a large lump at the gum. His eyes watered and, despite the cold splashes of water from the tap he gently flicked to his face, the throbbing refused to dull.

He didn't dare go to Vexen. It was day sixteen and Roxas had already seen how grumpy the Chilly Academic became when he was awoken for anything deemed '_trivial'_. Even when Xaldin had dragged him out of bed because his room was on fire (Axel denied any involvement) it was '_trivial'_… whatever that meant. But it had been said in an angry voice so it couldn't be a good thing. Roxas was learning a lot about voices, he had thought that loud voices were bad and quiet voices were good… but then Saix got angry with Demyx and spoke in a very low menacing voice, Roxas' didn't know what he'd said but Demyx fled into a dark portal to get away from him. So Roxas was no longer so sure…

He quietly padded to the empty Grey Room and sat on the hard grey armchair, unable to get comfortable. He sat there for hours, rocking back and forth, hand held to his cheek. His pain only worsened as morning arrived but offered no light, only the silent clock revealed the change of time in the eternally dark city.

At precisely five A.M he heard footsteps; only one person was known to begin their day at such a terrible hour – Saix towered over him, clipboard in hand though it had yet to be filled in. "You're up early."

"Mithon?" The sound of his own voice surprised him.

Saix' raised eyebrow was the greatest display of emotion Roxas had ever seen from him. "Why are you speaking like that?"

"…Toof hur's…" He tried not to close the right side of his mouth, holding his bulbous cheek in his hand, finger tucked inside to keep his cheek from touching the swell of his gum. "Juth' gimme a mithion…" he closed his eyes, "wanna go back'a bed…" He jolted when Saix grabbed his wrist and pulled him out the room. "Thaixth?"

"Follow me."

"Where?"

"Missions are not authorized to those with infection or injury, including dental. There have been prior catastrophic results."

"Ca'a'thwophic?"

"Fatal." Saix pushed the pad beside Vexen's bedroom door, the pale door slid open and he disdainfully glared, the room was empty. "Vexen's most likely fallen asleep in his lab again." Saix growled, marching down the hall, pulling Roxas in tow. "We'll see if he can sort the problem. He does not like being awoken so prepare yourself."

"For wha'?"

"He'll most likely pull that tooth so he can return to sleep."

Roxas was horrified. His eyes widened, he turned a shade paler. "Puwl ma toof ou'?" Saix gripped his wrist tighter. "Won' tha' hur'?" He tugged, trying to free his wrist.

"Don't complain." Saix warned, glaring at the sight not too far ahead. Axel was leaving his room, headed for the shower before all the hot water was used; he'd a towel draped over his shoulder, his chilli red hair a wilder mess in the early hours.

"Roxas!" Axel abruptly finished his yawn. "Hey, is he in some sort of trouble?" He stood in their way, unwilling to allow Saix passage until he had an answer.

Growling, Roxas managed to tear his wrist from Saix and ran!

"Woa! Woa! Roxas!" Axel roped his arms around him. "Hey!" He did not expect Roxas to wrap his arms around his waist and hide his face in his stomach. "What's going on?"

"Don' le' 'im ta'e ma toof!"

"Huh?"

"Number Thirteen has a toothache. I am taking him to Vexen to get it fixed," Saix coldly observed the way Roxas clung to Axel a little more desperately, the human-like behaviour disgusted him, "either that or get his mouth sewn up."

Axel frowned, tightly gripping Roxas' shoulders. "_Really_ not the time for your sarcasm." He pushed Roxas away and stared at his upset face. "Come on Roxas, it's not like Vexen's a stranger."

"Tha' the p'ob'em! I _know_ Vethen!" He accidentally bit the inside of his cheek and yelped, holding the side of his face while his eyes watered. "I know wha' he'th 'ike!"

"You sound terrible! Open your mouth; let me see." He bent down.

"This is ridiculous." Saix glared. "It could have been done by now."

"He's right." Axel narrowed his eyes to look through the shadows of Roxas' mouth. He found it! The cracked tooth near Roxas' jaw and the large knot of swollen gum, white at in the centre of an angry red ring. "That's nasty Roxas!" He wrinkled his nose and let him close his mouth. "You know, having it fixed will hurt less than it hurts now. You'll hardly even notice anything's happening!"

Saix snatched Roxas' wrist. "We've wasted enough time here."

Roxas desperately gripped Axel's coat and whined, eyes large and pleading. "Athel!"

"How 'bout I come with you?" Axel followed them.

"Vexen is perfectly capable of fixing this without your supervision."

"…_Might need someone to hold him down." _Axel muttered.

"Wha'?"

"Nothing Roxas, nothing. You just think happy thoughts."

Refusing to knock, Saix dragged Roxas into Vexen's lab as unceremoniously as he had entered the Scientist's bedroom. "Vexen!" The lamp was still on; Vexen was asleep at his desk.

Vexen snorted and sat upright, the sheet of paper stuck to his face slowly peeled free and fluttered to the floor leaving black lines of ink imprinted on his cheek. "This is _my_ lab Number Seven! How dare you enter without my express permission!" Livid, he stood; his eyes ringed dark from another all-nighter.

"I need no one's permission." Saix flung Roxas forth. "Number Thirteen has toothache, take care of it."

"And who are _you_ to give me orders?"

Roxas stood between them, looking back and forth as they bickered.

"The man who will be assigning you missions in Zootropolis for a month if you don't."

"No! Not there!" Vexen took a step back, shaking his head. "Anything but that!"

"If you don't want to spend the next month or three of your non-existence as a seal you'll do as I say."

Axel put a hand on Saix's shoulder. "Best not make him mad before treatment, hey Isa?" He guided Roxas to the reclining white chair. "Come on Roxas, take a seat."

Roxas stared at the chair; or rather the tray of sharp instruments beside it, all perfectly lined and sparkling sharp. "No."

"Come on Roxas, some of us want to have breakfast. Just get it over with and it won't hurt anymore."

The boy stomped his foot and clenched his fist. "NO!"

Axel rubbed his head and groaned. "Really regretting the day you learnt how to talk…"

"Enough of this." Saix pushed Roxas into the chair with a harsh shove from behind, pinning him in place, gripping his wrists, as the boy kicked. "Stay still!"

"Athel hewp!"

"Sorry man," Axel held his legs down as Vexen wandered at a painfully slow pace, yawning whilst he sterilized his hands, "it'll be over soon. Your face looks like a hamster storing food! It'll be a relief to get the pressure off, right?"

"'et go!" He managed to get a leg free and almost kicked Axel in the head.

Axel missed the kick, moving a fraction to the side. "ROXAS!" He clutched his legs tighter, just in time to prevent his other foot colliding with the tool-tray. "What is up with you?"

Roxas stilled for a moment and lowered his eyes. "It' thawy…"

Saix tightened his grip on lax wrists and grit his teeth. "Fear is an emotion beyond a Nobodies capabilities." He exclaimed. "Just what are you playing at?"

Axel loosened his grip on his shins, motioning to Saix to let go and Vexen to keep his distance. "Maybe you were scared of the Dentist before becoming a Nobody?"

Roxas clutched his face; his other hand trembled as he gripped the edge of the chair. "Den'ith? Wa'th at?"

"A professional who fixes teeth." Axel noticed Roxas' worried stare at the scalpel in the tray. "You know, barely any of these are going to be used."

"I just need to take a look." Vexen grumbled.

Axel nodded. "With a tiny mirror and a little stick." He pointed to the tools, not daring to touch Vexen's things. He could feel the icy warning glare upon him. "So you just sit back, relax and it'll be over soon."

Roxas considered Axel's words for a moment, casting a wary glance at each man before responding. "…Okah."

"Good!" In one quick swoop Vexen dropped the chair back. Surprised Roxas yelled, the chair slamming to a laid back position. His knuckles were white, fingers nervously pressing into the creamy leather of the seat. "Open wide." Vexen leant, _leered_, over him, his twisted face upside down in Roxas' view.

"Open your mouth Roxas." Axel stood at his side. "Just like you did for me."

"I don' wan' ta…"

"You don't have a choice!" Vexen snapped.

Saix crossed his arms, stood with his back to the door as if he were a bouncer. "Do as you're told Roxas."

"Come on Roxas," Axel encouraged, "he only wants to look, _don't you Vexen?_" He glared at Vexen, his voice a warning.

Vexen glared back. "For now."

Roxas reluctantly obeyed. "Good boy Roxas." Axel chuckled when Roxas pouted at him, mouth wide and sounding amusing uncomfortable noises from his throat while Vexen moved his mirror around his mouth. "Are you staying here Saix?"

"If Roxas needs further treatment I must inform Lord Xemnas immediately."

"I can easily let the Superior know!" Vexen barked. "I am Number Four, you are Number Seven; I am perfectly capable of speaking to the man myself!"

"Not if you're performing a surgery." Saix scowled.

Roxas anxiously lifted his head. "Thur'wey?"

Vexen slapped his hand on Roxas' forehead and slammed his head back down, holding him in place with the palm of his hand whilst he dug around his mouth. "Aha! I have found the issue! You have a cracked tooth. It's practically torn in half! However did you do that?"

"Uh…?"

Axel sighed, hands on his hips he hung his head. "He fell flat on his face chasing a Heartless yesterday."

"You didn't write that in your report." Saix bristled.

"We fall over all the time I didn't think it was relevant!"

"All the time, really? Perhaps I should send you to Olympus Coliseum next?"

"What? Why?"

"Stamina training."

Vexen left Roxas' view to shuffle around the cupboard behind him. "A rather large abscess has formed beneath the tooth. Number Thirteen will need a course of antibiotics after treatment."

"Wha'… Wha' you gonna do?"

"I am going to numb the area so treatment can take place."

"Numb?" That sounded nice, the pain was becoming unbearable! "How?"

Vexen had already prepared the needle, he held it upright in his hand.

Roxas' pupils shrank to pinpoints. He clambered out the chair and backed away, bumping his back to Saix's front. "Get back in the chair." Saix uncrossed his arms.

"NO."

"Come on," Axel gripped his shoulder, "one little pinch and it won't hurt anymore." He quickly threw him back down to the chair and held him in place.

"Ge' off me!"

Struggling, he glared at Saix. "You gonna come over here and help?"

Pulling a sour expression of annoyance, Saix restrained Roxas' head.

"I must say I'm surprised you both careso much." Vexen mused, pulling Roxas' mouth open.

"We _need_ him." Saix growled. "If he's not cleared to go on missions we cannot complete Kingdom Hearts."

"You need to hold him perfectly still!" Vexen struggled to hold Roxas' mouth open, pushing the needle closer.

Roxas bit.

Vexen squealed! "AH! Let go!"

Axel gasped. "Roxas let go of him! You're only gonna hurt yourself more!"

"HIMSELF?" Vexen did not dare move. "I could lose a finger! A very valuable asset!"

Axel ignored him. "Come on, be good! Spit him out! You don't know where he's been!" Roxas defiantly bit down harder. "Since when do you misbehave?" Gripping Roxas' jaw he squeezed, forcing it open.

Vexen withdrew his bleeding finger and vengefully stuck the syringe in the joint of Roxas' jaw.

Roxas would have leapt had four hands not held him down. An upset cry left his throat. Finally, the hands pulled away. Roxas rolled onto his side, obviously upset.

"It will take ten minutes for the novacaine to kick in." Vexen ran his finger beneath the tap, preparing anti-septic and plasters.

Axel sighed, relived. "Alright. You hear that Roxas? Ten minutes and it won't hurt anymore."

"G'way."

"Come on, don't be like that!" He jumped back when a foot swung out to kick him. "Hey!"

"G'way!" Roxas viciously growled, rubbing the side of his face, it was numbing, such a strange feeling.

"Leave him alone Axel." Saix demanded. "Save your strength for the next ten minutes."

Axel put his hands on his hips and nodded. "Right."

Roxas could only pout one half of his mouth, the other numbed into a droop. "Wha'? Wha' happ'nin'n ten minu'th?"

"I'll be removing your tooth and draining the abscess." Vexen bandaged his bitten finger.

Roxas spun in the chair, his legs draped over either side as he gripped the head rest! "Bu' i'th numb!"

"That will soon wear off. You should take some ibprofen when it does."

"Athel! Athel don' 'e 'im do an'more!" Roxas gripped the skirt of Axel's coat like a child clinging to a parent.

Axel heartlessly smiled. "My heart goes out to you Roxas." He calmly mocked, holding a hand to his empty chest.

Roxas growled, baring one side of his teeth.

"Don't look at me like that, enduring the dentist is inevitable."

"I am a _Scientist_!"

"Not today, today you are a dentist. Let's not confuse Roxas too much. So, Roxas, perhaps Vexen should tell you what's going to happen, to make you feel more at ease you know."

Eager to reveal his treatment as though it were some great plan, Vexen began. "As soon as the area is adequately numb I shall use my extraction pliers to do just as the name entails and extract the cracked tooth. Removing the broken fragments at the bottom may take a while so I may have to numb the area a second time and dig those out with this tool here," Roxas eye's widened when he saw the curved sharp stick held up for him to examine. Axel hung his head; Vexen's description was defeating the purpose. "Draining the abscess may take a while, I expect you to remain perfectly still or you risk greater injury when I break through the flesh with a scalpel. I'll swap and drain the area then send you on your way. I doubt you'll need stitches but antibiotics are a must."

Axel rubbed the back of his head. "…You hear that Roxas… doesn't sound so bad…" He lied.

"Ev'one'th b'ing ho'bble." Like an upset toddler Roxas curled up on the seat, wrapping himself into a tight little ball of black leather and blonde spikes, experimentally poking the side of his mouth as he thought of what was about to transpire.

"This is not a punishment Roxas." Saix told him. "This is treatment."

Vexen sterilized his lab, nursing his finger the entire time. "I however have the potential to be should you bite me again! I could very well wait until that novacaine wears off and extract your tooth when you are more sensitive!"

Roxas almost whimpered. "Tha'th… mean."

"It's time!" Vexen moved to the chair, setting his hands on Roxas shoulders he pulled forced him out of his ball.

"No!" Roxas thrashed! "Don' do i'!"

Axel and Saix helped unfurl him, holding him steady whilst Vexen poked his face. "Can you feel that?"

Roxas slapped his hand away. "G'off!"

"I said can you feel this?" He poked again.

"Athel ma'e 'im thop!"

"He cannot feel anything." Vexen decided and grabbed the extraction pliers, forcing Roxas mouth open. "This should make things easier." Roxas' eyes widened when a contraption of padded springs held his jaw open. "A last resort." Roxas felt the pressure of the pliers gripping his tooth and heard the crack as it was twisted.

Eyes wide, he did the only thing he could – SCREAMED.

"Roxas!" Axel actually sounded worried, holding Roxas thrashing arms, certain he was bruising his wrists. "Hey! He can FEEL that!" He barked at Vexen.

"No he can't!" Vexen wrestled with the tooth. "Number Thirteen is simply making a fuss!"

"Get the job done Vexen!" Saix snarled when a boot kicked his ear. "I'm tired of this lunacy! Have some self-control Roxas!" He was struck a second time while Roxas screamed his protests. "I'll make you a deal, if you allow Vexen to treat you I will give you today and tomorrow off. Are we agreed?"

Roxas quietened.

"What do you think of that Roxas?" Axel panted, exhausted from their skirmish. "You get to go back to bed and tomorrow you can have ice cream all day."

Roxas was obviously tired… and not in pain, quiet and still while he considered the offer and, as the abscess was drained, flickered his eyes into a nod.

Saix refused to let go of Roxas' legs for fear he would be struck again. "Glad to see we are in agreement."

"You be good and stay still for Vexen, alright?"

Roxas clenched his eyes and gripped his coat, twisting the fabric.

Vexen filled his mouth with cotton balls and finally removed the springy contraption. "All done!" He announced. Roxas couldn't get out the chair fast enough. "He will need an examination before attending any missions."

"I must inform Lord Xemnas. Keep an eye on him, Axel."

"Did you have to ask? Come on Roxas, back to bed." He put his hand on his shoulder, leading him to the hall.

"He must fast for four hours and only drink water!" Vexen called.

Roxas miserably hung his head; the numbing beginning to wear off. "Breakfast…"

"I'll get you some painkillers." Axel led him to his room. "You go to sleep and by the time you wake up you'll be allowed to eat. I'll get you something special." He sat Roxas on the edge of his bed, unable to ignore the boy's misery while he pulled his boots off. "Something like ramen with soft boiled eggs, rice omelette or sweet-filled pancakes? …You want it all don't you?" He realised, handing Roxas the little pink painkillers and white antibiotic, not looking away until he was sure they had been swallowed.

"Yeah." Roxas tiredly closed his eyes.

"That's right, you go to sleep."

"Ithe c'eam…" He mumbled.

"Yeah, you can have ice cream." He pulled the covers higher.

"Don' 'et Vethen do i' again."

Axel sighed. "You know Roxas, sometimes we have to endure things we really don't like." He heard Roxas' breathing change as he drifted to sleep. "But I'll be right here when you wake up."


	7. Puppy Love Part I

Saix' intrusion ruined Axel's inviting dream of the busty brunette pasted the magazine cover stretched over his face. "Don't you ever knock?" He hastily hid the magazine beneath his stark pillow, rising on his elbows to scowl.

Stoically staring with an expression of disdain fixed as permanently to his face as the scar crossed between his eyes; Saix began. "Today you will be partnered with Xion for your mission. It must appear to be business as usual; taking out Heartless. Your true objective however will simply be to observe Xion."

Suddenly wide awake Axel sat upright on the bed, his hands on his knees as he pushed himself to his feet. "Yeah, I think not." In his gut he knew something was wrong, Saix' mood had been mysteriously worsening throughout the week. "She's done nothing wrong."

"This is not a criminal investigation." His monotone warningly laced with irritation. "A report of Xion's combat style and general behaviour will suffice. I am entrusting you with this task."

"If I say I'll do it will you frigging knock next time?" Saix didn't reply and Axel didn't expect him to. "At least have the decency to close the door on your way out." He pulled on his boots and stretched, hearing the bones in his back crack and pop as he cricked his neck. "These guys work me too hard." He muttered, combing his hands through his flaming hair as he walked the bland halls.

"Axel!" Xion hurried to him as soon as he stepped into the Grey Area, an excited bounce in her step. "We're working together today!"

He forced a carefree smile across his face. "I know. Actually, I don't think we've ever worked together before. You still handling the Keyblade alright?"

In a swirling ribbon of light the Keyblade was summoned into her hand. "All thanks to you and Roxas."

Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his head, willing his face not to turn red. "Enough of that."

"Hey," Roxas padded towards them, his body-language of small strides seemed insecure, his expression hopeful, but those eyebrows… Axel almost sighed when he saw them, they gave Roxas' mood away like a cat's bristling tail, drawn together and bowing to the bridge of his nose, a tell-tale sign that his stubbornness was at its peak. "Who are you guys working with today?" Zombie days behind him, Roxas was developing an infamous temper... or rather the memory of one.

"Each other!" Xion smiled.

Roxas hung his head.

"Something wrong?" Axel awaited Roxas' evolving tantrum. Sometimes, the boy even appeared angry! Axel wasn't sure how or when he had remembered to do that, it was both impressive and concerning.

Roxas peered at Demyx out the corner of his eye. "Anyone wanna trade?"

Xion shook her head, flaying her black locks like a splayed halo. "Absolutely not!"

"Demyx still not pulling his weight?" Axel was sure he knew the answer.

Roxas glare did not diminish, glaring at Demyx as though he could burn a hole through him. "It's exhausting working with him." Slouched in his chair playing his sitar; Demyx seemed oblivious to Roxas' distaste.

"Be nice." Axel warned.

Overhearing Axel's rare admonishing; Saix approached, his face twisted into displeasure. "What are you doing? Get to work."

Beneath lowered brows, Roxas looked up at him, his mouth a child-like pout. "Do I have to?"

"How extraordinarily childish. What would possess you to say such a thing when we're so shorthanded? Wielding that Keyblade does not mean you are entitled to special treatment."

Sulkily pointing a judgemental finger at Demyx; Roxas anger flared. "Then why does Demyx get special treatment?" The boy venomously barked. "He gets away with everything!"

Axel discreetly shook his head, keeping his steady eyes on Roxas, silently demanding he back down.

"Demyx is getting away with nothing. Perhaps by working with you he will pick up some of your work ethic."

"Or he'll leave _me_ to do all the work!"

"Either way, you are going."

He balled his fists. "I know I am but why can't I go with someone else?"

The melodious playing stopped. "Hey, don't you want to work with me?"

"You are a well-known skiver Demyx." Axel called.

Xion nodded. "When we worked together you left me on that mission alone so you could go rock out on your sitar."

"You're rattin' me out? Seriously not cool!"

Saix was getting angry, his face darkened, the lines of his scar rippled and his narrowing eyes gleamed brighter. "Enough moping, get to work." His voice had a slight growl to it.

Sensing the danger, Axel immediately opened a portal. "Come on Xion. Roxas; go with Demyx." He insisted, speaking again when Roxas open his mouth. "No one's saying you have to make his job easy." He mischievously added.

Roxas hung his head. "Fine."

Closing the portal behind them in a wisp of black, Axel stepped into the Realm Between; the bright red light of Twilight Town called to him. _'What could be so interesting about Xion?' _He pondered, watching her back as she walked ahead. _'Apart from that Keyblade… Saix you jerk. What aren't you telling me?'_

The Heartless were easy to find. Following the upset shouts into a narrow street lined with houses, the townspeople had locked themselves inside until the danger passed.

Axel took a step back, keeping one eye on Xion, his other on any twitching curtains. "Xion, all right, fight, fight, fight!" He observed her leap and swing her Keyblade as she cut a Heartless down in a spark of light, releasing the pink heart that floated up to the clouds. _'What is it Saix wants me to take note of?' _He let the Bulky Vendor slip by and soar towards Xion. "That one's all yours Xion!"

"Leave it to me!" She swung her Keyblade.

'_Come to think of it; I don't really know her all that well. The second wielder of the Keyblade… She really is the spitting image of Roxas when she fights. Same Keyblade, same fighting style… it's almost uncanny.' _"Not too shabby!" His chakram's disappeared from his grip. "Sorry you had to take that last one out all by your lonesome."

She wiped her brow, leaving sticky residue on her glove. "Not at all!" She smiled. "When I fight with the Keyblade it's like I can really be of use to everyone." She examined the Keyblade's length, shimmering in the tinted glow of the town. "That's why I wanted it back so badly."

Axel tried his hardest to appear happy or at least nonchalant, but he was concerned. Xion had lost the Keyblade for ten days! She had to make up for it and, if she really was so similar to Roxas, she wouldn't know when to stop and rest. "Well, just don't push yourself."

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" A shadow cast over her. Looking up she saw _something _leap at her and tackle her to the paved floor!

"XION!"

Something BARKED.

Axel quirked a brow. The sandy-furred dog was HUGE! It sat upon Xion, pinning her to the ground and seemed benevolent though clumsy. Its long pink tongue flopped free as it panted and stared down at the girl it flattened, crushing her beneath its weight. "A dog? Don't scare people like that pooch." Xion was twitching out of her shock. "You okay there Xion?"

"Uh – uh huh." She opened her eyes and pushed the furry mass aside so she could sit upright. She stared at the dog, her eyes big and blue; the dog stared back with its large black puppy eyes. "AW!" She squealed and wrapped her arms around the dog's neck, squeezing tightly! Cooing as she hugged the bewildered animal and squealed like a _real _person, like a child in a petting zoo.

"Xion, come on." Axel put his hands on his hips. "You're gonna get attached to it at this rate." It would be the last thing they needed, he wasn't sure he could handle both Roxas _and _Xion moping about the castle.

"But – but – but –!" She stared up at him as the dog licked her face. "Hee! That tickles!" She raised her arm to nudge him away and noticed the paper folded over his bright green collar. "What's this?

Axel sighed. "What now?"

"There's a note, it says _'please take care of me, WOOF.'_" She held it up, daring to look away from the dog. She had a begging, conniving expression. "Say…"

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to."

"What? But I didn't even say anything yet!"

"You really think the Organization will take care of a pet?" He had to remain strong and not give into those big puppy eyes… or Xion... "I sure wouldn't waste my breath. Saix'll never agree to it."

She turned to the dog, her voice quavering, the corners of her mouth drooping. "…I'm sorry puppy." She sat on her knees apologising to the abandoned giant. I'm so sorry…"

"Well… I guess it can't hurt to ask." He knew he would kick himself later.

"Really? Oh thank you Axel!" She hugged one arm around his legs, the other around the dog's neck, pulling them together.

"Don't thank me yet. You still have to get permission to keep it."

The quietest beeps of the tracer sewn into the dog's collar were lost among Xion's happy squeals of delight and Axel's reminders that Saix would no doubt disappoint her.

Stood on the rooftop, vision dulled by sheer black fabric, Riku observed with some degree of amazement that a Heartless being could react so… _so like Kairi_. "I'll leave this to you, Pluto." He hoped the King's dog would be alright as he disappeared into echoes of black, returning to the Mansion where he and Namine had been taking care of Pluto until the King reappeared. This was the most plausible way to uncover the Organization's secrets and dwelling.

"Alright, you got a hold of him Xion?" Axel opened a dark portal.

"Yeah!" She held the dog's collar as he tugged. "Let's go puppy!" Stood on either side of the tall dog they entered the Realm, Axel's hand beside hers as he also held the dog's collar so it couldn't pull Xion over and become lost. "I can't wait to show you to everyone! I'll cook you the best food so you won't be hungry and make you a really cosy bed! You can sleep in my room."

This may have been a bad idea after all. "Saix Xion, remember Saix."

"Saix is really mean puppy, but don't let him scare you, we'll protect you. He'll probably scoff and say something horrid but I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"Xion, Xion…" Axel hung his head, "if Saix says you can't keep the dog you can't keep the dog. If he wants to throw it into a portal or off the top of the Castle he will."

"What? Axel!" Horrified, she held the dog closer. "We can't let him do that!"

"Look, that's just the way it is. That guy has a bad personality."

"But it's not right!"

"You're beginning to sound like Roxas."

She walked into the dim light of The World That Never Was. "It's not fair! We work so hard! Why is it so wrong to want something nice? It's like we rescued him!"

"Now you're _really _beginning to sound like Roxas." He stepped onto the city streets. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up."

"You're the one who said I could bring him home!"

He kept a firm hold of the dog as it excitedly pulled, wagging its thin tail. "I said you could _try_."

"Don't worry puppy," Xion quietly comforted, "we'll make this all better."

"You know, if he does let you keep it, you're gonna have to take it for walks."

"Oh, I will! He can help me train!"

"And you'll have to clean up after him; you'll have to clean up _every _mess he makes."

"I'll do that too!"

"And take the blame for anything he chews up. Shoes, weapons, cushions…"

"I'll do that too! Saix already blames me for everything anyway."

"Xion! That's not nice to say!"

"But he does, so he can give me this one thing."

They found Saix atop the glass stairs. He stared down at Pluto, Pluto stared back at him; tongue flopped out as if he had found his greatest friend.

"Saix," Axel let go of the collar, "hey! Sit!" He was happy when the dog whined but obeyed. "The mission went as planned but –"

Xion determinedly stepped forth. "We found a puppy and we're going to keep it!"

Saix blankly stared at Pluto, Pluto joyously stared back. "I suppose I can allow it."

"What?" Axel gaped and Xion squealed.

"Isn't it great puppy?" She bounced on her toes. "Come on," she hurried down the glass steps, the dog bounding alongside her, "I want to introduce you to Roxas!"

Pluto's bark of approval echoed in the stairwell.

"Well – well," Axel slyly said, "will wonders never cease?"

"I was fond of dogs once." He had an almost sad aura about him.

Axel raised his brows high and laughed. "So you _do_ still have some memories left from the good old days!"

"By the way, you'll be heading back to Castle Oblivion soon."

"Wait? What? Seriously? Come on that's low!"

"So, what were your observations of Xion?"

Axel inwardly sighed, giving up his attempted enjoyable conversation with Saix. Well… Saix had surprised him enough for the next decade, he supposed. "Ah, well, nothing to report _Sir_. No changes observed, she took her mission very seriously and finished in record time."

"I see. In that case, continue your surveillance."

He groaned under his breath. "Man, that's icky." He rubbed the back of his head. "How long will I have to –?"

"Indefinitely." The word stilled Axel's movements, he stared at Saix' back, awaiting an explanation that would never come. "If anything unfortunate should befall Xion you are to report immediately, understood?" He left without an answer, so assured Axel would do as commanded.

Xion ran into the Grey Area, everyone stared at the dog bounding beside her. She stopped before Roxas and pointed at his face. "This is Roxas!"

The dog barked up at him, wagging his long skinny tail.

Baffled, Roxas stared down at him. "Nice to meet you…"

"We have to look after him!"

"_We_?"

"Yes, the note said so and Axel told me we have to clean up his mess."

"I don't get it."

"And we have to feed him and walk him and play with him and hug him every day!"

"…It's a dog."

Xigbar stretched his arm around Roxas' shoulder and bent down to his eyelevel, his lone eye stared at the dog, making Xion squirm. "Well done tiger! We'll make a real boy out of you yet."

Roxas pulled out from underneath his arm. "It's not a tiger, it's a dog!"

"Ha!" He laughed. "Seems you have a long way to go 'til you're truly useful."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His smile could only be described as nasty. "Clueless as ever." He said with a shake of his head, passing them. "You'll find out."

Roxas growled. "I never get that guy. Xion? Where are you going?"

"To the kitchen! I think the puppy's hungry!"

Roxas hurried after her, the dog '_galloping'_ ahead of them both. "Isn't he a bit _big _to be a puppy?"

"Of course he's a puppy, that's why he's so cute."

The kitchen was not as bland as the rest of the castle with its colourful food and packaging abandoned on the surfaces, the cupboard doors left open (by Demyx no doubt).

Roxas examined the open cupboards, the cereal boxes and tinned goods littering the surfaces. "I don't think we have any dog food."

Xion dragged a chair to the countertops, standing on the seat on her tiptoes so she could reach the bowls, Pluto stood on his hind legs, almost as tall as she was while stood on the chair! "We'll make our own dog food, won't we puppy?"

"What do dogs eat?" Roxas watched her jump down, tilting his head when the dog barked joyously and ran in circles.

"Hm… Food I guess."

"Isn't that obvious?"

"Open a tin Roxas!"

"Of what?"

"Anything!"

Axel followed the smell. That disgusting, burning, eye-watering stench that made him gag and permeated the halls so no one could rest.

"Come on puppy! You can come down now!" He heard the sweet feminine voice call in the kitchen.

"Oh boy…" He rubbed the back of his head. "What is she doing now?"

He was paralyzed by the sight that greeted him! He could only stare at the carnage!

The room was smoky, four pots bubbled over onto the stove like cauldrons of various coloured gloop, black, brown, red and _green_. A cupboard door was hanging off, all the china within lying shattered on the floor. Sooty smoke markings blemished the white walls, a snowstorm of cereal had struck the area; empty and damaged packages were tossed hither-and-thither.

Can opener busted, the tins had been _sawn_ in half, scattered wherever he cast his wide green eyes that finally landed on Xion. She was stood on the counter reaching up with both arms, trying to convince Pluto to jump down from the cupboard tops where he curled close to the ceiling, growled and heckled his fur, Xion was seemingly unknowing that the dog would flatten her should he leap into her arms.

"Xion! Get down from there!"

"Axel!" Roxas greeted, stood behind Xion holding her legs as if that could stop her from falling. "We cooked dog food."

Axel looked at the bubbling green goo spilt over the white bowl set on the floor. "You sure did."

"But the puppy's stuck!" Xion cried.

"He's not stuck he's just avoiding the disaster and you should too! Get down!"

Roxas kept his hands on her shins. "It's alright! I've got her!"

"You're gonna break both your necks." He lifted Xion down and sighed up at the dog. "How'd he even get up there?"

Roxas shrugged. "He kinda jumped and scrambled when the fire started. I thought he'd come down when I put it out."

For the first time Axel noticed the tap pouring into the overfilled sink and the layer of water on the floor being soaked up by the mountain of cereal. "I don't blame him! You could have killed yourselves! Why didn't you go for help?"

"We had it under control Axel." Xion chirped.

"Under control? Have you seen this place? Look around! You're both gonna have to clean this up!"

Roxas kicked the half-sawn can across the room. "It was already a mess when we got here."

"Oh really?" Axel crossed his arms. "It looked like _this _when you got here?"

Xion toyed with her fingers. "…The cupboard door was open and Demyx left the cans out again."

"Oh _sure_," he drawled with mock understanding, "cause that really makes up most of this mess! And _what _is that smell?"

"The puppy's food." Xion walked to the bubbling pots and pans. "But the ladle's stuck!" She pulled the handle, it would not budge, a sticky sound like stretching rubber pierced his ears, stopping when Xion let go of the ladle.

"…Why's it green?" Axel dared to near the pot. "The hell did you put in there?"

"Mincemeat, lentils, tomatoes, chocolate –"

"_Chocolate?_" Axel exclaimed.

Roxas crossed his arms. "And eggs for protein. You always say protein's important."

"Onions, cereal, kidney beans, mash potatoes and sugar!" Xion tilted her head. "But he wouldn't eat it, he growled at his bowl. So we put green food colouring in to match his collar, we thought he might like it more… but he climbed on top of the cupboards instead."

"You're gonna kill that dog on its first day! Chocolate is toxic to dogs! Onions and eggs make them sick too!"

Xion gasped. "No! Poor puppy!" She stared up at Pluto, hands raised to her mouth.

"We didn't know Axel!"

"Did he eat any of it?" He sternly asked them both.

Roxas shook his head. "He wouldn't touch it."

"Well that's good. Now, Roxas, you take those pots out to the trash, there's no way we can get them clean, Xion, get a trash bag and start filling it with all… this." He looked at the broken china, soggy mounds of cereal, sharp shreds of tin and open cereal boxes.

"But the puppy –!"

"– Will come down when he's ready. Now are you gonna clean up this mess now or wait for Saix to find it?"

Silent and miserable they both got to work under the watchful gaze of Axel. As soon as the bubbling mass was out of the Castle Pluto leapt down from his high spot and ran around the kitchen as it was tidied and cleaned from top to bottom.

"Aren't you going to help?" Roxas chided, in the process of patting a paste of baking soda and vinegar on the walls to clean them of scorch marks.

Axel sat in the cleaned chair at the equally clean table, a cup of coffee steamed in his hand whilst he watched them. "I am! I'm instructing."

"You could get off your skinny butt and actually do something useful."

"Did I make the mess?" He barked as Roxas growled and seethed. "If you two are capable of making your own mess you can clean it up yourselves. Get it memorized!"

Xion returned the last remaining plate to the empty cupboard. "We're sorry Axel."

"Just don't do it again." He paused. "How's the pooch liking his food?"

Her eyes lit up from their sorrowful state. "He loves it! His tail's wagging! What did you give him again?"

"Those leftover sausages and cold rice. We'll go get him some real dog food after tomorrow's mission. A bed too."

Roxas aggressively scrubbed at the wall, looking ready to take his Keyblade to it. "And a ball to play with?"

"Sure."

"But he's going to sleep in my bed." Xion announced. "So he doesn't need his own."

"Xion, look at the size of him. The two of you won't fit in one bed and Xemnas will never allow you to have a pet in your room."

"B-but…!" She stared at the sleepy dog, her face crumpled into depression. "He'll get lonely! He can _feel_ things, unlike us."

"He'll be fine Xion."

"And what if he gets scared? What if Saix gets angry with him and throws him out and we never find him!"

"You're overthinking. "

"No I'm not Axel!" She balled her fists. "Xemnas and Saix are cruel!"

"Xion!" Axel warned, loudly placing his mug on the table. The girl had to learn to choose her words carefully. As an early member of the Organization, he had seen the result of disrespecting ones superiors. "Be careful what you say."

"He is! Xemnas is mean and cruel and… and – and lazy!"

"Xion that's enough!" He slapped a hand over her mouth.

Roxas finished wiping the wall free of dark streaks. "You're right, Xemnas makes us do all his dirty work to complete Kingdom Hearts and he never does anything!"

"Roxas, shut up."

"When we went to Beast's castle it was different there. The Beast actually got up and fought the Heartless to keep his Servants safe; he didn't just stare at the moon all the time."

"Is that really what you think, Number Thirteen?"

Roxas gulped. Xemnas' frame filled the doorway, staring disdainfully at him with those dangerous bright eyes.

Axel spun around, memories of worry etched into him. "Lord Xemnas," he lightly kicked the dog when it growled.

"You've never come in here before." Roxas guiltily noted.

Xion nervously laced her fingers and lowered her head.

"I heard an animal was brought into my Castle. I also heard rumours of a fire and look, here all three instigators are."

Axel's automatic and unconscious response was to push Roxas behind him. "I spoke to Saix, he approved it; he said they could keep the dog."

Xemnas stared at the mutt until it whimpered and backed away; seeming to know there was something unnatural about him. "He failed to describe permitting them to vandalize the kitchen."

"They've cleaned it up. It's taken them hours."

"Since you have them under your wing, Axel, I expect you to pay for the damage."

He grit his teeth, "Understood Sir," and hoped Xemnas' ears had been closed to Xion and Roxas' opinionated comments.

"Excellent. Xion, Roxas," Axel felt his stomach drop; "if you do not approve of how I run my Organization you are of no use to us." He waved his hand as if the motion could disintegrate them.

"We're sorry, Superior." Roxas remained hidden behind Axel.

"Nobodies cannot feel _guilt_ nor regret, your apologies mean nothing." He looked at the whimpering mutt. "Give me one reason to allow you to keep that thing."

Xion looked up from her shoes. "I – I think the puppy can teach us how to be more responsible, like Axel said we should be. And… if we're more responsible in the Castle we might learn how to do better on our missions."

Xemnas was silent. It was impossible to read his attitude. "Your pet will have to sleep in one of the side rooms _with_ the door locked so it can do no damage."

"Thank you Lord Xemnas."

"Axel," Axel jolted when his name was spoken, "you will visit me in the Round Room first thing tomorrow. Alone."

"Understood Sir."

Xemnas disappeared as quickly and as silently as he had arrived. Roxas and Xion breathed a sigh of relief, Pluto sprang back to life, running to Xion and jumping on his hind legs to lick at her face. "That was scary!"

Roxas nodded. "Really scary." He noticed Axel's rigid demeanour, a radiant warmth emitting from him like rays of sun on the hottest summer day. "Axel?"

"Go to your rooms."

"What?" Xion pushed Pluto down. "But –"

"NOW!" Sparks of flame gathered about his hands and they fled! Axel grabbed Pluto's collar and dragged him down the hall, throwing him into one of the small conference rooms with his bowl of water and left, ignoring the whimpers and scratches left behind.


	8. Punishment

Roxas stared at the pet store windows colourful display of chewable toys and soft beds. "Hey, Xion."

"What is it Roxas?"

"Do you remember that big dog you brought back to the Castle with Axel that time?"

"Of course I do!" She sadly shook her head. "He ran away and we never saw him again…" She remembered bringing the golden dog his freshly cooked food and finding his basket empty.

Roxas laid a hand on her shoulder. "Y'know, Axel told me something. He said that dog was King Mickey's, and he's okay! He just went home."

"He did?" She clapped her hands and bounced on her heels. "Oh Roxas that's great! Can we go see him?"

"I'll ask Axel! C'mon!" He ran up Station Plaza's slope. "I'll race you!"

"No fair!" She chased him.

Between school, work and summer jobs there was a gap in the makeshift family's day when they would all meet for ice cream every evening. Saix was already there; perched beside Axel, drained from a long day on his feet while Axel, half-lidded, yawned, having not long woken up to begin his evening shift into the following morning. "Axel!" Xion darted ahead, hugging his neck, leaning her weight on his shoulders.

"Woa! Woa! Woa!" He struggled to stay aright. "Hey! You wanna push me over?"

"Roxas said the puppy's ok!" She smiled into his ear

He raised a confused brow. "Puppy?"

"The Dog That Never Was!" Roxas stepped upon the Clocktower, obviously unhappy to have lost his race with Xion. "Remember?"

Axel chuckled and pointed a finger to his temple. "You think I don't have it memorized? How could I forget? You guys nearly burnt the kitchen down!"

Surprisingly, Saix also smiled at the brief memory. "I can't say I remember much about the kitchen, but I do remember that dog eating my paperwork."

Xion's eyes lit up. "What? When was that?"

"The day you brought him back to the castle. It was the end of the day and I went back to my office."

Every piece of paperwork in Saix' office was slippery with drool, chewed into mush and scattered like snow. Xion's dog sat among the chaos. It had its back to him… wagging its tail.

"What have you done?" He barked! The dog noticed him, guiltily whined and hung his head; its tail darted between its legs. "I knew this would happen!" Saix picked the papers off the floor, examining each piece for anything salvageable as clear drool dribbled over his gloves. "Look what you did!" The dog tried to look cute but kept its eyes cast down. "Sit in the corner." He watched the dog skulk there. "I suppose this isn't your fault. Fortunately I keep my most important paperwork in the filing cabinet." He heard movement. "Did I _say_ you could move?" The dog turned back to the wall. "I thought Axel would have encouraged Xion and Roxas to keep you entertained, you're just bored aren't you?" The dog dared to look over its golden shoulder with saddened eyes, whimpering.

Saix got off his knees. "No one's taken you out yet have they? Come." He opened the door and the dog desperately ran ahead of him, following him out the Castle. He watched the dog sniff around The World That Never Was before darting to mark his territory and chase the occasional Dusk.

Saix knew his lenient actions would have baffled Axel, but for all Axel had memorized he had easily forgotten that _Isa liked dogs_, LOVED dogs. The feeling of adoration and love was non-existent as a Nobody but the memory led him to act.

Radiant Garden had been abandoned for nearly a decade, he wondered how his old room looked, whether the posters of dogs were still pinned to the wall, the little figurines his friends had gifted him at every birthday and holiday were still neatly arranged on their shelf… and whether Scamp had made it to safety or died of starvation in the Heartless lain streets… alone.

Those thoughts could stir no feeling, but the memory of Scamp running to-and-fro chasing Lea's frisbee prompted Saix to take a bobble-head from one of the old abandoned cars and throw it. Pluto fetched it back and ran in circles until it was thrown again. He growled and lifted his ears when Saix pretended to throw it, chasing it with more vigour when it was finally thrown over his head.

He had lost track of time and the mess in his room needed tidying. Assured the dog had run off most of his energy and wished to refill its bladder; Saix tossed the bobble-head aside and returned to the Castle, Pluto running circles around him.

"Axel." He saw him in the hall.

Axel looked worried. "Hey – wait, how'd _that _get out?" He pointed at the trotting dog.

"I found him eating my paperwork. Why isn't Xion taking care of him? He hadn't been walked."

"But I locked him in a room, there's no way he could get out!"

"And _why_ did you lock him in a room?" He frowned.

"I'm really tired of your attitude; I have enough on my plate!" He moved to walk away.

Saix narrowed his eyes and grabbed Axel's arm. "This isn't like you. What could you possibly have to manage?"

Axel rested his tense hands on his hips. "Xemnas. Xion and Roxas insulted him. I sent them to their rooms but… he heard." He gustily sighed. "He wants to see me tomorrow."

"Insulting the Superior has never boded well."

"I know," Axel groaned, "I don't suppose you could find out what he's planning?"

"Even if I could there's no point," Saix passed him, the dog following; "you'll see him tomorrow."

"That's so sad…" Xion held her hands to her chest. "Poor Scamp…"

"I'm sure he was fine." Axel insisted though his eyes told a sadder tale.

Xion finally sat down. "I can't believe you took care of the puppy Saix!"

He bashfully remained silent.

Roxas bit his ice cream. "What did you and Xemnas talk about Axel?"

Xion hung her head. "I remember what happened after that. We were disciplined." She moved her eyes to stare at Axel, as did Roxas.

"Oh yeah…"

"Don't look at me like that!" Axel sulked. "It wasn't like I wanted to do it!"

Xion tilted her head. "So… what _did_ Xemnas say to you?"

When Axel entered the round room, Xemnas was already awaiting him.

They sat in silence, Axel knew that Xemnas should be the first to speak, and he had sworn to himself that if kissing up to his Superior could spare Roxas and Xion from something terrible he would humble himself for once.

"I am led to wonder where it is that Roxas and Xion are learning their unacceptable behaviour. Could it be your influence, Axel?"

"No. I disapproved and sent them to their rooms after the…" He crossed his arms and pondered the correct word, "incident."

"The structure of Organization XIII is balanced by obedience. Roxas and Xion must adequately face the consequences of their insubordination or face their end."

"Can we really call it insubordination? They were disrespectful but their mission compliance is impeccable!" He leant forth in his chair, balling his fists on the hard pale arm rests.

"The moment our members begin to doubt their superior's; chaos is plotted, the balance lopsided, something must be done. Do not tell me you have forgotten the traitors you handled at Castle Oblivion already?" He slowly blinked; his voice a slow dangerous rumble.

Axel looked away. "No, I have not. But Roxas and Xion… they're not like that!" He desperately frowned. "They're kids! They made a mistake!"

He was too loud for Xemnas liking; Xemnas raised a palm to silence him. "Even so, there must not be a repeat of this incident. You have been entrusted with the education and guardianship of our youngest members, discipline falls into your hands. I trust you to carry out the duty acceptably and earnestly. It is for the sake of the Organization."

"Yes… Superior." He hung his head.

"Good. You may consider this an assignment. I wish to know what punishment was carried out, and, _if _I consider it suitable, I shall refrain from administering punishment myself." He disappeared in dark as did Axel, not daring to mutter insults under his breath.

Reappearing in his room, Axel sat on his bed, wondering what punishment would be acceptable. He felt Roxas and Xion had already been punished, they had been sent to bed without dinner and he was ready to give them a stern talking to… but Xemnas' words… that he would punish them if he did not approve of Axel's methods… that changed everything.

He stared at his hand, the memories of Castle Oblivion weighed heavily upon his shoulders as a flicker of flame came to his fingers. "Alright," he vanquished it, clenching his hand, "I'm sorry guys." Decision made, the first person he sought was Saix. He found him alone in the grey room, flicking through the pages on his clipboard. "Roxas and Xion need to be relieved of their missions today."

"If Lord Xemnas ordered it he would have informed me personally." He didn't one glance up from his papers.

"It's not Lord Xemnas' order, it's mine. He wants me to administer _punishment _to them and if it's not done to his taste he'll do worse."

Saix finally looked up. "And what are _you_ planning on doing to them?"

Axel rubbed the back of his flaming hair. "I… don't know… I was hoping you could tell me."

"You have seen and experienced the Superior's discipline; you know what he does." He paused; the memory of a cruel smile was hinted upon his face. "His order's for you to carry out discipline is genius. This is _your _punishment."

Gaping and wide-eyed, Axel exhaled before turning away. He had seen what Xemnas could do. He had seen Nobodies punished, beaten into nothingness else turned into Dusks by Xemnas' own hand. Even him, during his first week of being a Nobody he himself had his arms outstretched and was stabbed with broiling hot red shards, piercing him like hot needles every hour until his will finally gave way and he accepted that leaving the growing Organization had worse consequences than staying.

The memory sent a shiver of sickness down his spine, he couldn't imagine allowing Roxas and Xion to go through such a thing… he had been bedridden for weeks, moving only to prove he was useful and avoid eradication.

It was an impossible situation.

Roxas swallowed his ice cream. "We got you into a lot of trouble, didn't we?"

"You sure did."

Xion shrugged. "At least Xemnas didn't tell you to hurt the puppy."

"Really?" Axel scoffed. "You were alright with getting disciplined so long as the dog was alright?" He dramatically waved his arms. "How _did _the dog get out?"

Saix crossed his legs. "He'd broken through the door; I had to ensure it was replaced."

"What?" Xion's eyes widened. "The puppy broke through the door? How could that even happen?"

Roxas laughed. "Because he's a big dog Xion! I still can't believe you still call him a puppy!"

She nudged him with her elbow. "Hey! Puppies are cute so of course he is one!"

"He was a full-grown mongrel." Axel announced. "I wonder how the King walks him without getting pulled flat on his face?"

Saix had an odd, curious, expression. "What did Axel do to you both?" Three pairs of wide eyes looked at him. "Xemnas certainly approved of Axel's actions, he never mentioned it again."

Roxas lowered his eyes. "Axel came into my room after he saw Xemnas, I guess."

Roxas was hungry and bored. Sat on his bed he had been fidgeting,waiting for Axel to tell him he could leave his room. Beginning to think he had been forgotten the door opened. "Axel!" His greeting was so chirpy it obviously _hurt _Axel somehow, making the tall man recoil a little as he stepped into the room. "I've been in here forever! Can we ask Saix if we can work together today?" Roxas walked to him, noticing that something was wrong with his friend. "Axel?" He tilted his head.

Axel crossed his arms, staring down at the difficult boy. "No. Xemnas spoke to me this morning."

"He did?"

"Yeah… he's not happy with you and Xion… the way you behaved yesterday. He wants something done about it."

"Like what? It's not a really hard mission is it? Is he gonna make me work with Demyx again?" His shoulders slumped.

"No Roxas it's –"

"Another double heart quota?"

"No –"

"TRIPLE?"

"Roxas!" Axel barked. "Xemnas is never so lenient! He wants me to punish you in a way _he_ approves of."

Roxas was perfectly still, his hands and feet twitched, obviously pondering whether to summon a dark portal and escape. "What're you gonna do?" He swallowed.

Axel paused; he didn't want to hurt him, the boy had done little wrong – it was un-just. "I'm gonna take you somewhere we can talk." He opened a portal and followed Roxas through, stepping onto an empty location, grassy for miles with only a winding pathway to break up the scenery. There was nothing else to see, the world was almost barren.

"Where are we?" Roxas looked around.

"We won't be disturbed here. Sit down, we need to talk."

Roxas obediently sat cross-legged on the grass. "This is so not like you!"

Stern faced, Axel stood opposite him, wondering where to begin. "When I was your age –"

Roxas laughed. "_You _were my age?"

"Quiet Roxas!"

He seemed almost hurt. "It was just a joke."

"I am not in the mood for jokes; this is the face of a very troubled man!"

"Oh… what is it?"

"I have to tell you… that is… I have to let you know…! There's no easy way to say this!" He stopped rubbing his head to stare Roxas in the eyes. "You're not in Xemnas' good books, and now I have these icky orders to punish you until you and Xion know you're never to behave in such a way again."

"But we won't Axel!"

"I know that! And you know that! But Xemnas wants something done about it something… physical."

Roxas grimaced. "Discipline? Like punishment? So… no ice cream for a month?"

"A bit more serious than that Roxas. That's why I'm… I'm giving you a choice. You can either let me punish you, it will hurt but it will come from me, _or _you can let me hand you over to Xemnas and he'll do as he likes."

"What kind of choice is that?" Roxas yelled, getting to his feet. "Get hurt or get hurt? Can't you talk him out of it?" He stomped his foot. "Forget this!" He tried to summon a portal but it wouldn't come. "What?"

"Your powers work differently in this world. Getting in and out takes a special skill that you don't have. You're not leaving until you give me an answer." Roxas growled and balled his gloved fists. "Who do you want Roxas?"

He lowered his head, speaking quietly. "What will Xemnas do?"

"When I was a bit older than you, during my first week as a Nobody he…" he shook his head, "it was really bad. I couldn't move for weeks and then I had to get right back to work or become a Dusk."

"What will _you _do?"

"I don't want you to endure two punishments because Xemnas doesn't think mine is good enough so I'll be harsh… I'll hurt you bad… so Xemnas can't hurt you worse. It's your choice, Roxas."

Roxas looked defeated, obviously thinking the matter through. To be humiliated at Xemnas' harsh hands… or hurt by his closest, reluctant, friend. "You." He quietly said.

Axel took a deep breath. "This will hurt a lot but it will be quick. Take some deep breaths and try to stay calm."

"How can I stay calm when I don't know what you're gonna do? This isn't fair!"

"I know, so let's make sure I'm not told to do it again."

Upset, Roxas stared at his boots, obviously planning to put up a fight. Taking the quiet opportunity, Axel clicked his fingers and flame attacked Roxas' body just as it had Vexen's! He controlled the heat this time, not enough to scar or kill but enough to scold.

Roxas' scream echoed through the plain! Axel kept the burn going until he heard Roxas struggle to inhale a breath of fire! He stopped. Roxas fell to the grass, smoke rising off his coat; it had protected him from the worst.

"Roxas?" Axel ran to him, turning him onto his front. The boy was unconscious, hot to the touch, face flushed blood red, skin drying. It was nothing compared to his treatment of Vexen.

Summoning a dark portal he collected Roxas in his arms and returned the boy to his bedroom, muttering apologies.

Xemnas was there. Leant against the far wall, staring at him.

"Xemnas?"

"I thought I would come and see the results for myself." He kept his eyes on Roxas as Axel laid him on the bed, removing his boots. "To think I was unsure you would do it." He disappeared.

Axel was disgusted, with himself or Xemnas? He couldn't be sure. He carefully undressed Roxas, examining the damage. He hadn't hurt him too badly; it had mostly been extreme heat and smoke inhalation, no worse than a terrible sunburn.

He kept muttering apologies as he wet a cloth and laid it over Roxas' forehead, another over his chest, placing a cool glass of water on his bedside. "I have to go to Xion now. I'll be back soon."

He reluctantly stepped across the hall to Xion's room. There was no sign of her. "Xion." He growled, guessing where she'd be he approached the kitchen, it still stank of smoke and bleach but lesser than the day before. "Xion!"

Xion looked away from Pluto, she was knelt on the floor stroking him while he ate, she had made herself toast with eggs, it was placed on the table on the last surviving plate. "I told you to stay in your room!"

"But it's morning and the puppy needed breakfast!" Her stomach rumbled. "And so do I."

He crossed his arms. "Why won't you do as you're told? The dog would have been fine for the morning!"

Xion's upset expression matched Roxas' defiant one as she stood on her toes, pouting up at him. "Saix might have done something terrible to him! And why did I have to stay in my room when I could have been training? It was a waste of time!"

"It was punishment."

"Punish-ment?" She tested the word. "What's that?"

"Punishment is when someone does something to tell you off so you don't do the same bad thing again."

"But you already told us off when you yelled at us!"

"And staying in your room was supposed to be punishment so you could reflect on what you did." He uncrossed his arms. "And to keep you safe."

"Safe? Safe from what?"

"You insulted Xemnas. He doesn't take such things lightly."

Xion lowered her head. "We didn't mean to burn the kitchen."

"And?"

"…Shouldn't have spoken about Xemnas like that." She muttered.

"Xion, this is important. Xemnas spoke to me this morning, let's go somewhere we can talk." He opened a portal.

"We can talk here." She shrugged, walking into the portal regardless.

"Somewhere we won't be interrupted." He followed her through; taking her to the same place he had Roxas.

Xion's eyes lit up, she seemed so delighted that Axel knew if he had a heart it would have broken. "It's so pretty!" She noticed something and hurried to it. "What happened here?" She was examining the black scorch marks on the grass. "Did you do something Axel?"

"Sit down Xion," she seemed to notice something was wrong by the tone of his voice, "I've already spoken to Roxas, I'll tell you the same thing."

"Roxas was here?" She anxiously looked at the scorch marks. "What did you do?"

"_Sit down_." He harshly demanded, staring at her until she sat on her knees, staring up at him.

"You and Roxas were disrespectful to Xemnas. He saw me this morning and told me that if I don't punish you in a way he approves of he'll deal with you himself." He ignored Xion's small anxious gasp. "Xemnas is harsh, I should know, so I'm giving you the choice. You can let me punish you, it will hurt but it will come from me, or I can hand you over to Xemnas. It's your choice."

Xion swallowed. "I don't even understand what punishment is! What's the difference between you and Xemnas? Are there different types of punishment?"

Stoic and stern, Axel didn't move. "There are many different ways to punish a person, sometimes just with words, in some worlds if you do something against the law they lock you away in a prison or a dungeon, or even torture you, punishment can be a lot of things, but none of them are nice."

"Wait a minute; you already punished me and Roxas! You sent us to our rooms!"

"I did, but that wasn't enough to satisfy Xemnas."

Xion sadly looked at the grass, playing with the green strands in her hands. "He wants you to hurt us, doesn't he?"

"He does, and if I don't he'll hurt you himself."

"He'll turn me into a dusk?"

"_After _he's hurt you."

"I still don't' understand!" She stood, just as Roxas had when his temper flared. "What's the difference between you and Xemnas if you're going to hurt me like he would?"

"Not like he would. Just in a way he approves of. It's your choice, Xion, you can let me hand you over to Xemnas to do whatever he wants for as long as he wants, or you can let me do it. It will hurt a lot but I'll be quick… just like I was with Roxas."

"Roxas? You hurt Roxas?" She shouted, horrified.

"It was his choice. This is yours."

She eyed the scorch marks. "You'll burn me?" He didn't answer. "What will Xemnas do?"

"Same thing he did to me when I was just a little older than you." She gasped, staring at him, awaiting further description. "He… it was my first week as a Nobody and… I couldn't move. He stabbed me with those laser things all day until I…" He couldn't say anymore.

"All day?" Xion gasped.

"Last chance Xion." He snapped. "If you don't give me an answer I'll go get him!"

Hands gripped to her chest, Xion bit her lips, staring at the green grass. "…You… I think – AH!" Flame engulfed her body! She breathed fire and inhaled smoke, her skin blistered and reddened! She couldn't count the seconds, seeing black spots before her body hit the ground.

"I'm sorry Xion." He pulled her limp body onto his lap, watching her rapid breathing. "C'mon, let's go." He lifted her up just as he had Roxas and transported her to her room. Xemnas was not there this time, obviously trusting him to get the job done.

Laying her on the bed he removed her boots, noticing her feet were blistered through the looser seams of her soles, then removed her coat, glanced away as he removed her shirt and pants and laid a wet cloth on her forehead, trying to grant her some modesty by laying the other wide across her chest.

He left her side to check on Roxas, he could hear small groaning's from his room before he walked in. Roxas was trying to sit up, his eyes were hazy with heat; his skin was flaking. "Don't sit up." Axel approached. Roxas winced away from him. "Hey, c'mon man, it's all over now."

"You didn't tell me you were going to do that." Roxas rasped.

Axel handed him the water. "If you were too tense it would have hurt worse."

"My head hurts."

"It's just a heat headache, like when you stay in Agrabah too long. I can get you some painkillers but it will take a while, Saix has to approve them and I have to fill in the paperwork."

Roxas didn't dare nod. "Yeah…"

"Alright, you stay here and rest, I'll be back."

Roxas knew he must have fallen asleep because when he awoke the pills were at his bedside and Axel was gone. Swallowing the pills, Roxas tried to stand, he was wobbly on his legs but managed to put on his dark pyjamas and hobble to Xion's room.

"Are the painkillers working?" He heard Axel speak inside.

"You didn't give me a warning." Xion sounded upset, her voice just as raspy as Roxas'.

"If I had I might have hurt you more." He turned his head when the door opened and Roxas limped inside, gripping the doorframe for support. "You should be in bed." He moved to guide him back.

Roxas growled. "I want to see Xion!"

"Xion needs her rest and so do you. C'mon, back to bed." Roxas kept trying to move around him, to approach Xion, but Axel wouldn't allow it.

"We can rest together." Xion croaked.

"Huh?" Axel tilted his head.

"Come on Roxas." She scooted over allowing him room on the bed.

Roxas blushed but sat beside her, holding his head as he laid down.

"Good grief!" Axel huffed! "You two are hopeless!" Musing at the sight of the two of them struggling to share a pillow he almost smiled. "You can share a bed just this once ok? I'll go get your pillow Roxas, you two hungry?"

"No Axel! Don't go!" Xion called, surprising him.

"Stay." Roxas begged.

He rubbed the back of his flaming head. "You uh… you really want me to stay?" _'Despite what I did to you?'_

"Yeah." Roxas would have nodded had his head not been so painful.

Xion didn't raise her head off the pillow. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Alright, move your feet." He sat at the foot of the bed, unsure of what they expected him to do. "Did you know the sea is blue because of red light? You see, without red the colour blue would not exist because they're at opposite ends of the spectrum." He knew he was prattling, but his nonsense must have soothed them, he watched them fall asleep and was surprised when he too slept, waking between the two sleeping Nobody's snuggled into his sides.

"The punishment must have worked because we never did it again." Xion decided, finishing her ice cream. "It took us a few days to get better."

Roxas smiled. "And Axel brought us ice cream every day!"

Saix raised his brow. "Every day? Really Lea?"

"I had to do something to make amends!"

"And when we were better" Xion continued "Axel taught us how to take care of the puppy properly, he took us to the pet store here and we bought him bowls on a stand, real puppy food and a big basket! We got a free ball so we could play with him."

"Yup," Axel got to his feet, "we did." He stretched and yawned. "Alright guys, I have to go to work you have to do your homework." He ignored Xion and Roxas' exaggerated moans, walking down to Station Plaza. "I'll see you in the morning." He yawned.

"Axel," Xion quietly spoke, "can we get a puppy?"

Roxas' lit up. "Yeah! We have money saved from our summer job; we could take care of one!"

"What?" Axel was horrified! "After everything we just spoke about did you not memorize what happened last time?" He held a finger to his head.

Roxas shrugged. "But we're not in the Organization anymore!"

"Please Axel; we know how to look after one now."

He put his hands on his hips, keeping a close eye on the giant clock above them. "When you guys are at school, Saix is at work and I'm sleeping for my shift who would take it for walks? Feed it and play with it? We don't have time for a dog! Tell them Isa!" He frowned, awaiting the scolding his friend would deliver.

Saix sternly looked at them. "I wouldn't mind a dog."

"WHAT?"

Xion gasped! "Thank you Saix!"

Roxas excitedly leapt and practically galloped down the slope. "I'm going to the pet store!" He and Xion disappeared out of sight.

"They'll never do their homework now!" Axel scowled. "What were you thinking?"

Saix smiled. "I like dogs."


End file.
